Local News
Bluearth gains approval for sixth solar power facility in SE Alberta
By COLLIN GALLANT on July 23rd, 2021
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant Bluearth Renewables has gained approval to build its sixth and largest solar power facility in Southeast Alberta. Wheatcrest Solar would produce 60 megawatts of power in peak conditions when the planned 130,000-panel array is installed on a half-section of privately-owned land north Enchant in the M.D. of Taber. On Wednesday, the Alberta Utilities Commission ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Hat utility customers shielded from ‘rate riders’
By COLLIN GALLANT on July 22nd, 2021
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant Hatters still owe a combined $1.5 million on their city utility bills one year after a pandemic program to defer payments ended, but that money won’t be recovered through a province-wide rider on all utility bills. Most Albertans will see extra charges of less than $1 per month added beginning in August to pay ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!MLA Mike Ellis apologizes after Twitter mishap
By Medicine Hat News on July 22nd, 2021
UCP MLA Mike Ellis is apologizing for an incident that took place during the Associate Minister for Mental Health and Addictions’ visit to Medicine Hat on Tuesday. A picture was taken that included a computer screen containing visible personal information of a patient at an AHS facility. It was then posted on the associate minister’s ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Man clocked going nearly five times over limit in school zone
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on July 22nd, 2021
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews A man clocked driving almost five times the speed limit through a Medicine Hat school zone has been charged with dangerous driving, Medicine Hat Police Service said Thursday. A release states that in the early evening on July 16 officers observed a white Lincoln Navigator travelling rapidly down Southview Drive. Radar pegged the rate ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Chief administrator insists no conflict in Invest RFP process
By Alex McCuaig, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on July 22nd, 2021
amccuaig@medicinehatnews.com The Medicine Hat chief administrator insists there is no conflict in the process involving Orka Management Group staff being involved in the lead up to a request for proposals being issued for Invest Medicine Hat. But the standard conflict of interest definitions used in city procurement packages were altered in the RFP bid involving ... Read More »
1 responseInvest bid en route to council
By COLLIN GALLANT on July 22nd, 2021
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant City council will still have to approve the idea of a privately-operated land sales and economic development department next month before the city finalizes any contract with the single applicant, senior municipal officials told the News on Wednesday. Questions have swirled around a process that calls for proposals to operate Invest Medicine Hat services ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Cypress County declares state of agricultural disaster
By Alex McCuaig, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on July 21st, 2021
amccuaig@medicinehatnews.com Cypress County council voted Tuesday to declare a state of agricultural disaster as prolonged drought continues to devastate drylands crops and pasture in the region. Council heard they are the third in the province to declare an agricultural disaster following the Foothills and Stettler counties. And far more are expected to follow in the ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Orka Management enters only bid in Invest Medicine Hat RFP process
By COLLIN GALLANT on July 21st, 2021
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant The company formed by managers of a city department has submitted the only offer to handle a private operation of that department with top city officials now set to speak about the Invest Medicine Hat contract on Wednesday. The request for proposals to provide economic development services for the City of Medicine Hat, as ... Read More »
1 responseFeds nearly doubling the Canada Gas Tax Grant outlays to municipalities in Saskatchewan
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on July 21st, 2021
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews Ottawa is nearly doubling the Canada Gas Tax Grant outlays to municipalities in Saskatchewan, it was announced Tuesday. The fund’s name officially changed to the Canada Community-Building Grant on June 29. It is administered by the provinces through agreements with Ottawa, pays for municipal infrastructure work like roads and firehalls, and this year will ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Meetings on rural crime response in SE Alberta underway
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on July 21st, 2021
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews A series of meetings on rural crime response is underway in Southern Alberta with a visit to Redcliff by Justice Minister Kaycee Madu set for Thursday night. This year, Alberta Sheriffs were given expanded duties and authority to assist the RCMP on urgent calls as well as investigate a wider range of vehicle offences. ... Read More »
Be the first to comment!Hubs to better serve local youth
By COLLIN GALLANT on July 21st, 2021
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant Young people seeking help for mental health or addictions issues can now “knock on any door” of social service agencies in Medicine Hat to receive referrals for specific needs, the province and local coordinating agency announced Tuesday. Associate minister of Mental Health and Addictions Mike Ellis told a gathering at Police Point Park that ... Read More »
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