The Calgary Stampede’s annual chuckwagon tarp auction generated a record $6.1 million in sponsorship bids, according to event organizers, marking a significant increase of about $2 million from the previous year. The funds secure advertising partnerships for 27 drivers competing in the Rangeland Derby, one of the festival’s signature events. This year’s Calgary Stampede is scheduled to begin July 3. The highest bid reached $550,000, placed by Bar L5 Ranch for driver Rae Croteau Jr., organizers said following the Thursday evening auction. The annual auction allows corporate sponsors, many

A 12-year-old girl injured in a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge is expected to travel to Los Angeles for specialized medical treatment, according to her mother. In a public Facebook post, Cia Edmonds said her daughter, Maya Gebala, has been released from intensive care at BC Children’s Hospital and is now “seemingly stable.” Maya had been receiving treatment there after suffering multiple injuries, including a gunshot wound to the head, during a mass shooting at her school in February. According to Edmonds, the next stage of care will involve what she described as an “aggressive appro

The Langley RCMP said officers responded at about 4:57 p.m. on April 9 to a crash in the 3300 block of 264th Street. First responders from the Township of Langley Fire Department and the British Columbia Ambulance Service also attended. “Despite life-saving efforts, one individual succumbed to their injuries at the scene,” Sgt. Zynal Sharoom said in a statement released by police. The Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service has been deployed to assist with the investigation. Police have not released details about the cause of the crash or the identity of the individual. Ro

U.S. Vice President JD Vance says Iran should not attempt to “play” the United States as he departs for Pakistan to lead negotiations aimed at ending a six-week war between Washington and Tehran. According to White House officials, Vance will participate in mediated talks in Islamabad as part of an effort directed by President Donald Trump to seek a resolution to the conflict, which began Feb. 28. The administration has not confirmed whether the will be conducted directly with Iranian officials or through intermediaries. The talks come amid signs that a temporary ceasefire could collapse.

The president of the United Nurses of Alberta says weapons screening systems and more protective services officers are urgently needed in Alberta hospitals, citing what she describes as near-daily threats of violence against frontline staff. Heather Smith made the call following a stabbing last week in the emergency department at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital. According to hospital officials, a 42-year-old man was treated for life-threatening injuries after the incident. In a statement after the attack, Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Matt Jones said the province is work