March 6, 1940 to January 11, 2026It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our dear Mom, Patricia “Pat” Thompson, who slipped away in her sleep on January 11, 2026, at the age of 85. Beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister-in-law, stepsister, aunt, cousin, friend to many and cherished by all who knew her. Pat is survived … Read more…
We are broken hearted to announce the passing of Leona Vondrasek (Schuler), January 10, 2026, at the age of 74, after a very brief illness from pancreatic cancer.Leona was born July 17, 1951, to Ray and Gene Schuler, in Natal, BC. When she was young, the family moved back to the Schuler farm outside Claresholm, Alberta. She and her five … Read more…
The Drama 10 class at Willow Creek Composite High School staged the original play “The Almost Princess Bride” on Jan. 13 and 14, including this performance on Jan. 14. From left are Daryen Slevin and Jaxson McDonald crossing swords, with Maliki Hildebrand looking on. Photo by Rob Vogt
By Rob VogtIn a split vote, Claresholm town council has agreed to lower the rent for the Claresholm Food Bank to $1 for 2026 with it being re-evaluated in October 2026 in a meeting between the food bank and town council.The decision came at council’s Jan. 12 meeting after a lengthy discussion.Abe Tinney, the town’s chief administrative officer, explained representatives … Read more…
Clipping of the Week – Amanda Zimmer (Dickinson) submitted this photo of her very first staff appearance in the Claresholm Local Press.She was young, and excited to start her career. She clipped it out and mailed it to her parents too!This appeared in the December 23, 1998 issue.
Published on Jan 16, 2026 at 10:51 By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter You start your quest up Mount Kilimanjaro as one person, and you finish it as someone else. A similar refrain leaves the lips of many who’ve trekked through four climatic zones and thinning oxygen to reach the summit of one of Earth’s most sacred and storied mountains. … Read more…
Originally published on Jan 14, 2026 at 08:14 By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A Chestermere senior instrumental in helping youths find their way and build their community has earned a place on a growing list of outstanding Alberta volunteers. Patricia Sproule — noted for her work leveraging the passion of youth through the wisdom of experience — is among … Read more…