Westlock News

Despite the unusually heavy rainfall in the area, at this point Westlock County is not likely to declare an agriculture disaster. Around the region, however, other municipalities have made such declarations.

Although Statistics Canada is reporting that national crime rates have dropped to their lowest levels since the 1970s, Westlock RCMP say they are not seeing as drastic a drop within the county’s borders.

Building permit numbers as of July 21 in Westlock County are down from the same time last year, but they are still ahead of the number of permits issued prior to 2007.

A group of riders heads north along Highway 44 during the 185-km Tour de l'Alberta July 24. The cyclists left Morinville in the morning and travelled through St. Albert before heading north through Westlock and Clyde before returning to Morinville. See more on the ride in next week's Westlock News.

Users of the Westlock Community Recreation Centre should expect to see changes to the building’s façade and roof in the coming months as the facility undergoes a $500,000 renovation to ensure it remains viable for the next 30 years.

When former Westlock town councillor Henry Romanchuk first brought the idea of hosting the 2013 55 Plus Alberta Summer Games to council and administration, he probably wasn’t expecting to chair the board of directors.

Competitors aim for a dime-sized target in the classic accuracy competition at the National Sport Jumping Competition, which began Saturday and runs all week at the Westlock Airport. After jumping from 2,800 feet (853 metres), most competitors landed within centimetres of the tiny yellow dot.

Westlock Elementary School has been approved to receive a modular classroom to increase its capacity, but when that classroom will arrive has not been determined. At the Pembina Hills school division’s June 29 meeting, Supt.

Despite the heavy rains that fell over Westlock and area late last week and into the weekend, the third annual Ride for STARS fundraiser carried on its tradition, albeit with smaller numbers.

Ron Leslie wipes down his 1978 King Cobra Ford Mustang at the Westlock Wheels of Class Show N' Shine July 10. He's had the car since August 2010, after his first car was damaged on the way home to Slave Lake after last year's show.