A motorist in southern Alberta has been convicted of distracted driving for the 13th time. The 40-year-old man appeared in Airdrie provincial court Tuesday after receiving a mandatory summons and was fined $2,000 in addition to the $300 ticket. Distracted driving became illegal in the province on Sept. 1, 2011, and the man received his first ticket for distracted driving on the same day. Since then, he has paid a total of $7,655 in fines for the 13 offences. Sgt. Darrin Turnbull says the RCMP wanted to bring attention to this case to make Albertans aware of how much these penalties can add up.

Mounties in northern Alberta say they have arrested a man wanted for first-degree murder. R-C-M-P had asked residents in the Cadotte Lake area to stay in their homes as they searched for Brenon Grey. Grey is accused in the death of Romeo Flett in July. R-C-M-P say he was arrested last night in the community of Little Buffalo, about 100 kilometres west of Peace River.

A graduated driver's licence program in Alberta that has been in effect for the past 19 years is getting an overhaul. Since 2003 new drivers in the province have faced a number of rules including zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol behind the wheel as well as a prohibition on unsafe driving. Once they made it through the two-year probationary period they were then asked to spend 150 dollars to take a second, more advanced driving test to get a full licence. The probationary period will continue but beginning next spring anyone who gets past the two-year period won't be required to take a seco

The Alberta government has unveiled a memorial wall inside the legislature building that honours the province's fallen police officers. It bears the names of the 101 Alberta police and peace officers who have died in the line of duty since 1876, and is outside the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General's office. The memorial wall was designed by Calgary Police Service Sergeant Jason Hiscock. The unveiling took place on the morning of Alberta Police and Peace Officers' Memorial Day, which occurs each year on the last Sunday of September.

RCMP say residents of a northern Alberta community don't have to shelter in place anymore, but they are still asking them to be diligent while a fugitive remains on the loose. Police warned people in Cadotte Lake on Saturday to stay in their homes because Brenon Blake Grey, who is wanted on a warrant for murder, was in the area. They alleged that he was armed and may be travelling on a stolen quad. Police downgraded their warning later in the day, but asked people to remain vigilant since Grey was still believed to be in the area.

Alberta criminal defence lawyers are taking another step in their dispute with the provincial government over the amount of compensation paid by Legal Aid Alberta. Four organizations representing lawyers in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and southern Alberta began job action August 8th by refusing to accept certain bail and duty counsel files from legal aid. Beginning Monday, the lawyers will refuse to take any new legal aid certificates. Kelsey Sitar, vice-president of the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association in Calgary says she realizes the move is drastic but it's important to get the Alberta

The seven candidates running to be the next United Conservative Party leader and premier are split on whether Alberta should bring in its own provincial police force. Four of them told a debate in Calgary that it's not a plan they would pursue now. Rebecca Schulz says she is not hearing about it on doorsteps, and notes the vast majority of municipalities don't want it. Rajan Sawhney (RAW'-jun SAW'-nee) says it's a solution in search of a problem and a larger discussion is needed on how to best reduce crime and keep people safer. Leela Aheer (LEE'-luh uh-HEER') says the province has not made it

De Havilland Aircraft of Canada says its plan to build a new aircraft manufacturing plant east of Calgary could eventually employ up to 1,500 people. The company says the facility is to be located in Wheatland County between the communities of Chestermere and Strathmore. Company co-owner Sherry Brydson says construction will start next year but it will take a long time to complete and will depend on the growth of the business. She says the full buildout of the plant that will assemble Firefighter aircraft, Twin Otters and Dash 8-400s will take somewhere between 10 and 15 years.

Edmonton Public Schools says more than 6,800 students are home sick with a respiratory illness. The board sent a letter home to parents Monday but it is not clear if the illness is COVID-19. Board chair Trisha Estabrooks says Alberta Health Services has told them to use the term ``respiratory illness.'' Estabrooks is encouraging parents to let schools know about positive cases and to keep kids home when they're sick.