Opinion

Last week’s first major dump of snow of the season has left many of us wondering whatever happened to fall. Seems as though we have skipped straight from summer to winter, with conditions not expected to improve much any time soon.

Looks like winter might be walloping us a little early this year. And although the wasteful practice of idling vehicles happens year-round, the impending cold spells will undoubtedly spur on a substantial increase of needless emissions.

Fire Prevention Week started in 1922 and is always the week in October that has Oct. 9 in it, the day of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The theme for this year is “ Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.

The Oct. 1 increase to Alberta’s minimum wage brought cheers from some and jeers from others. The increase to $15 an hour from $13.60 is billed by the provincial government as a move towards a fair wage for every Albertan.

Peace Lutheran Church congregation is excited to be presenting its 7 th Annual Fashion Show and Fun-raiser at the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion Branch #104 on Friday, Oct 19. Our theme this year is Caring and Sharing.

The planned updating of Alberta's driver testing system is a welcome and needed change.

With the arrival of this year's Fire Prevention Week, the Bowden Fire Department is encouraging residents to "Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware." What does that mean? Home fires today can burn faster than ever.

A big thank you to a lady named Chelsie who cares in Carstairs. My large Pyrenees strayed far from home with a new rescue wandering dog belonging to a neighbour. I was away for five days so the two dogs made it all the way to Highway 2A near town.

Smoking cigarettes and the legalization of pot consumption in Canada on Oct. 17 are bad enough – just ask Alberta Health Services. We all know the drill, and the risks, some of which are deadly.