NEWS & SPORTS FOR THURSDAY, MAY 4TH/2023

-Revenue Canada workers have reached a tentative deal with the feds.
Members went back to work this morning.
Their deal includes a wage hike of 12.6-percent dating back to 2021, plus a one-time lump-sum payment of 25-hundred dollars.

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-Just as some Albertans were seeing wildfire evacuation orders lifted in their part of the province, the hammer was coming down for others.

People living southeast of Drayton Valley and northwest of Ponoka were forced from their homes late yesterday afternoon, as they were told to make sure to take their pets, medication, documents and enough food and water for three days.

-Some people in Leduc County have been allowed to head back home, as crews have contained a wildfire near Range Road 24 and Township Road 474.

-Evacuation orders were lifted for Entwistle yesterday.
They were also lifted for Wildwood, Lobstick and Chip Lake, but residents are still on standby.

-Residents of the Little Red River Cree Nation are out of their homes, while people on the Fort McMurray First Nation, Gregoire Lake Estates and Anzac, are on standby.

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-Parkland County posted on Facebook yesterday that their fire crews have responded to four fires in five days that appear to have been intentionally set, north of Highway 16, between Range Road 30 and 32.
They’re asking residents to report any suspicious behaviour by calling 911.

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-RCMP have charged a 29-year old Cherry Grove man in connection with a series of suspicious fires dating back to last August.

Investigators say the wildfires were in Ardmore, Cold Lake Provincial Park, Hilda Lake, and just last month, several fires in Cherry Grove, where a church burned to the ground, there was a fire at the local post office and some homes.

All had been set on purpose.

The suspect has been charged with ten counts of arson.

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-A 28-year old man wound up in the hospital, after crashing his motorcycle Tuesday afternoon.
Edmonton police say it happened on Fort Road as he was coming up to 116th Avenue.
They say he lost control of the bike, hit a curb and slid.
His injuries were serious, and investigators now say speed was a factor.

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-Edmonton police are asking for the public help to find a missing 43 year old woman.
Magdalene Mae Oerlemans, who goes by the name Maggie or Sparrow, had been reported missing in March, but was last week July 13th around 147th Avenue and 92nd Street.

Police say they don’t know if her disappearance is suspicious or not.

Oerlemans is described as an Indigenous female with green eyes and brown hair. She stands 5’ tall and weighs approximately 115 lbs. She has pierced ears and a tattoo on her right shin described as a “Chinese dragon.” (photos courtesy of EPS)

Anyone who has any information about Oerlemans’ whereabouts is asked to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone. Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.p3tips.com/250.

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-UCP leader Danielle Smith unveiled her party’s plan this morning to keep growing the economy, create jobs and move the province forward.
She says they would implement the Alberta Job Growth and Diversification Strategy, to expand on current strengths to create jobs and attract skilled workers and graduates.
She’s talking about the “Alberta is Calling” signing bonus, the Graduation Retention Tax Credit, and increased automatic credentials for in-demand professions, along with many other programs that were set up over the past four years.****************************************************************************************************
-NDP leader Rachel Notley came out yesterday with her party’s plan to attract 20-billion dollars in private sector capital investment and create 47-thousand jobs in the energy sector.
She says it focuses on the creation of a new tax credit that she says would spur investment in clean-tech, carbon materials, critical minerals processing and advanced manufacturing.
She says her party would invest in union-led training facilities, and create a regulatory fast-pass to get well developed projects built sooner.

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-A Spruce Grove woman is planning to buy a home, do some travelling and maybe get a motorhome, after winning 2-million dollars in a Western-Max draw last month.

Lise Duclos says she’s also planning to invest some of the money.

She bought the ticket in Spruce Grove.

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-With King Charles being formally crowned this Saturday, there are some local things happening to mark the event.
Edmonton city hall, the High Level Bridge, Walterdale Bridge, Commonwealth Stadium, Muttart Conservatory and Rossdale Plant will be lit emerald green Saturday and Sunday.
A tree will be planted at Coronation Park, and people are invited to sign a book of congratulations at City Hall today and tomorrow.

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-Game 1 between the Oilers and Vegas went to the Golden Knights, as they beat the Oilers 6-4 last night.
That was despite four goals from Leon Draisaitl.
Next game is Saturday at 5, still in Vegas, and because Shania is at Rogers Place that evening, there won’t be an Oilers watch party inside the arena.
But the OUTDOOR zones will be open, the Ford Tailgate Party and Scotiabank Playoff Plaza for the 18-years and up fans.

Those open at 3pm.
The family-friendly one at Churchill Square opens at 4.

ALSO LAST NIGHT:
-Hurricanes beat the Devils 5-1.

TONIGHT:

-Leafs meet the Panthers for Game 2 of their NHL playoff series tonight. 5pm start.

-Kraken take on the Stars at 7:30

BASEBALL:

RedSox hit the Jays 8-3. They meet again at 4:10 this afternoon.

-Former Edmonton Oiler Petr Klima has died at the age of 58.

He was the one who scored the triple overtime winner in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 1990… The Oilers won the cup that year.

Officials have not said how Klima died, just that he was found at his home.