The community came out to support the Kiwanis Club of Olds & District on Thursday, December 12th. The annual charity auction was able to raise over $16,000 dollars, according to President Murray Elliott.

Mountain View County councillors will not be receiving a raise in 2020. Reeve Bruce Beattie says a survey done a couple of years ago showed their council compensation was significantly lower than other rural municipalities of comparable size. As a result, a policy was created to close a 10 per cent gap over a 4 year period. However, he says council decided this week to lead by example while they were approving the budget for 2020. The move by council to not accept a 2.5 per cent wage increase next year will save Mountain View County $10,000 dollars.

The Andrew Scheer era is all but over. He has ordered an immediate process to replace himself as Conservative leader, but plans to stay on as a Saskatchewan MP. Scheer says as they chart the course ahead, the party and the Conservative movement need someone who can give 100 per cent to the effort and he feels it is time to put his family first.

the Olds & District Christmas Angels Society needs the community's help to "stuff the bus". Board member Claire Rosehill says the annual event will collect donations of unwrapped gifts and toys in front of the Olds Canadian Tire location from 10am until 3pm on Saturday, December 14th.

Christmas will come early for three lucky individuals on Friday, December 13th at the Olds SportsComplex. Olds Grizzlys Business Manager Gary Gaudette says it is time once again for the wildly popular Westview Co-op bike night.

Mountain View County council approved the 2020 Capital and Operating Projects Budget in the amount of $25.2 million dollars on Wednesday, December 11th. County council also gave the green light to an interim 2020 Operating Expense Budget in the amount of slightly more than $36 million dollars.

Get in the holiday spirit this weekend by stopping in at Didsbury High School. Kirk Wassmer, Director of Music at DHS, says their annual Christmas concert, tea & silent auction starts at 2pm on Sunday, December 15th.

The Canadian Wrestling Trials were held in Niagara, Ontario from December 5-7th. After winning the women's 68 kilogram class, a huge 2020 is on the horizon for Danielle Lappage from Olds.

Olds RCMP say a 67 year old male from Olds has been arrested and faces charges of making sexually explicit material available to a child and exposure of genital organs to a child for a sexual purpose.

Jan Thompson says she loves the town and wants to share in the responsibility of caring for, as well as shaping, the community for those who reside here. She is one of seven candidates who have now entered the by-election race for a vacant seat at the Olds council table.

A 27 year old man is facing charges following a dangerous driving incident in the town of Sundre on November 29th.

Innisfail RCMP are thanking the community after another very successful charity checkstop. The total amount of money raised on Saturday, December 7th was up by nearly $3400 over the total from 2018.

Next year's budget was given the green light during the final town of Olds council meeting for 2019. Mayor Michael Muzychka says - as determined during last week's budget deliberations - it includes a zero per cent municipal tax increase.

The goal of last week's online auction for discus thrower Rachel Andres was to raise $2000 to support her dream to make it to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Auction Coordinator Joy Cavin says they were blown away by the community support as more than $4300 dollars was collected.

Olds RCMP say a 39 year old male from Calgary has been arrested and faces charges following a report of a suspicious vehicle parked behind a local business on Monday, December 9th.

Prior to the deadline at noon on Monday, December 9th a total of seven candidates entered the race to fill the vacant seat on council. The town of Olds will hold a municipal by-election on Monday, January 20th of 2020 from 8am until 8pm at the Royal Canadian Legion #105, Olds Branch. Those seven candidates are now officially in the race as the deadline for withdrawls passed at noon on Tuesday, December 10th.

A 20 year old male from Calgary has been arrested and charged following a report to Olds RCMP regarding the sighting of a Jeep which had been stolen from the Olds area on Thursday, December 5th.

Hundreds of donated items will be up for bid at on Thursday, December 12th when the Kiwanis Club of Olds holds its annual charity auction. The Kiwanis club supports many groups, organizations and events in the community including the 4H Public speaking finals, the Olds Kiwanis Music Festival, the Kiwanis Manor and Manor West, Olds Fashioned Christmas, plus many local playgrounds.

Premier Jason Kenney along with a group of his cabinet ministers are going to Ottawa on December 9-10. The Alberta delegation will advocate for a fair deal and vigorously defend the province’s interests. In addition to meeting Prime Minister Trudeau, Premier Kenney will address the Canadian Club of Ottawa, hold a roundtable with Alberta senators and meet with other business and political leaders. Some ministers will also meet with leaders of national industry groups.

Cremona Winterfest is a primarily an artisan show and it will feature plenty of handmade vendors among the over 100 total vendors for 2019. Check it out by stopping in at one of three locations around the village on Saturday, December 7th.

A 27 year old male from Calgary has been arrested and charged after a vehicle theft in Sundre on Saturday, November 30th.

Donations are now being accepted to help the Olds & District Christmas Angels Society make the holiday season a little brighter for those in need. Board member Claire Rosehill says the deadline to donate is December 18th.

Government House Leader Jason Nixon told reporters in Edmonton on Thursday, December 5th that the United Conservative government is moving full tilt to implement a robust legislative agenda on behalf of Albertans. Nixon says it was a successful fall session.

Its time for the Crazy Carstairs Christmas! Chelsea Cairns, Executive Director of the Carstairs Chamber of Commerce, says the evening will include local shopping, hayrides, Santa at the Co-op, hot chocolate, warm fires along Main Street and more. Hot dogs will be available by donation during Crazy Carstairs Christmas with the proceeds supporting Pawsitive Play Rescue.

It has been a milestone week for B&M Home Hardware Building Centre in Olds.

Al Kemmere, President of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, says rural crime has been an ongoing issue in Alberta in recent years. Kemmere is also Mountain View County's Division 7 councillor. He believes the initial impact of the province's new rural policing plan for the County will be just below $400,000 in the first year and over the next four years it will grow to about $1.1 million dollars of extra cost to the municipality.

The Hope 4 MVC Kids Society has assisted 62 families of children with disabilities in the Mountain View County area during the past 6 years. Founder Lisa Nicholson they are extremely proud to have been recently recognized by the province as one of the recipients of a 2019 Premier's Council Award. They received an Award of Excellence in the Community.

There is a chance to get active annnnd give back to the community this week thanks to the CLC Fitness Centre.

A 38 year old male from Olds faces charges after attempting to break into a tire inflation device cash box at a local gas station.

Olds RCMP say arrests related to stolen property have been made following a pair of separate incidents.

A delegation from the Olds RCMP detachment attended the policies & priorties committee meeting at the town of Olds office on Monday, December 2nd. Staff Sergeant Jim MacDonald presented the third quarter and year to date statistics for the Olds RCMP's Municipal Detachment area. Unfortunately, he says property crime in the community is trending in the wrong direction.

Help the Sundre Santas make Christmas brighter for those in need this holiday season by making a donation before the deadline on Monday, December 9th. Sundre Santas will also be having its magic of Christmas sale on Saturday, December 14th from noon until 5pm at the Sundre Community Gym.

A 31 year old female from Olds has been arrested and charged following an RCMP investigation which included surveillance on know prolific offenders in the town of Olds.

The town of Olds is on pace to have a zero per cent increase in its municipal tax rate following 2020 budget deliberations as part of the policies & priorities committee meeting on Monday, December 3rd.

Holiday cheer is coming to the town of Olds on Saturday, December 7th. The CP Holiday Train is slated to arrive at about 3pm. Donations of healthy non-perishable food items will be accepted to support the Mountain View Food Bank.