According to Alberta RCMP, on Saturday evening, the 63-year-old was in a media zone when a horse strayed from its path and collided with her.

Emergency responders attended to Lightning at the site, where she was declared deceased.

In a statement,  Enoch Cree First Nation confirmed lightning passed away after an occurrence during that evening’s Indian Relay competition at the Enoch Rodeo Grounds.

Her daughter Crystle, co-creator of the musical Bear Grease, shared her grief on social media.

“I have lost my mother, my sons Kohkum, my matriarch, my role model, my confidant,” she posted.

A member of the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, Lightning gained recognition for writing, directing, producing and appearing in the 2008 film Older Than America, a project shaped by her relatives’ time in residential and boarding schools.

She also appeared in productions such as Johnny Greyeyes, DreamKeeper, Blackstone, Trickster, Three Pines and Alaska Daily.

Lightning was working on a documentary about the history and tradition of the Indian Relay, and according to posts on her Facebook page, she was in her last phase of shooting the film when she passed.

Women between the ages of 45 and 74 are the group most commonly diagnosed with breast cancer and are encouraged to have a mammogram every two years until they turn 75. Women in this age range can self-refer for screening.

Screening is optional for women aged 40 to 44. Those considering a mammogram in this age group are encouraged to discuss the risks and benefits of screening with their health-care provider. A referral is required for a woman’s first mammogram in Alberta.

Women aged 75 and older can continue with breast cancer screening and should discuss the risks and benefits with their health-care provider.

Screening mammograms are not recommended for women under 40. Those women are encouraged to discuss their breast cancer risk and mammography options with their health-care provider.

Appointments can be booked by calling the Screen Test program at 1-800-667-0604.

According to a Friday news release, specialists plan to light the controlled burn near Southesk Lake in the park’s southeast section sometime between September and early October, weather and environmental conditions permitting.

The operation will move forward only when those requirements are fully met.

The site sits roughly 70 kilometres southeast of the Jasper townsite and about 90 kilometres south of Hinton. Natural and man-made barriers already surround the area, including a fireguard left by an earlier wildfire and a second one constructed by crews last year specifically for this project.

Officials say the burn aims to shrink habitat favoured by mountain pine beetles, strengthen the forest’s ability to withstand future wildfires, and re-establish the region’s natural fire patterns.

While the fire is underway—likely for several days—the Southesk Valley will be closed to the public.

Smoke from the operation may be noticeable along the South Boundary Trail and on adjacent provincial lands.

Hosted by Love Local, the event will begin with a free pancake breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m., sponsored by Tainted Lounge and Wild Rose Co-op. The breakfast will be served by volunteers from Camrose Helps, Camrose Pride Community and the Camrose Kodiaks

Activities will get underway following breakfast and include foam pits, an escape room, mini golf, bouncy castles, food trucks, vendors and shopping.

A new feature this year is the Gelly Ball Arena. Last year, attendees could shoot Gelly Balls at a target, while this year they’ll be able to shoot them at each other.

“We have invited all non-profit groups for free to come and promote their groups in a fun and interactive way,” said Tania Greenwald, founder of Love Local and one of the event organizers.

Live entertainment will begin at 11 a.m. with a kickboxing class led by Vanessa Simonot of Joyful Movement. Performances will follow from Violet and Felix, Bryn Mayer, Myra Marshall and Stephen Olson, with Hartman, Olson & Tindall featuring Joelean closing out the day.

For more information on the block party, click here.

The 16-week Goodwill Connect program provides job-search assistance along with links to mental health care, housing help, addiction support, and transportation resources.

Goodwill Connect is available at centres in Edmonton, St. Albert, and Sherwood Park, as well as online.

Anyone can sign up on their own—no formal diagnosis or paperwork is required.

According to Program manager Holly Nibourg, Goodwill staff will develop a clear understanding of each person’s aims, then pair them with a career and life coach who builds a personalized action plan and helps put it into practice. She noted that many people do not require intensive programming or may not qualify for other services; they simply need some initial direction.

Those not yet prepared for the full program can still receive assistance.

Check out Goodwills website for more details on the program.

Allison Tatham, President of the Edmonton and Area MADD Chapter, tells CFWE the display is more then twisted metal, it serves as a powerful reminder of the repercussions of driving impaired.

Tatham shares a personal experience of losing her father to an impaired driver 12 years ago, adding that with the car display its a reminder of many families that have lost loved ones to impaired driving within their communities.

Partnering with Tuber Towing, MADD Edmonton Chapter’s Crash Car Campaign started off by Blackjacks Roadhouse on highway 2 south of Edmonton by Nisku, then moving to Strathcona County for the first time ever, and finally landing on St. Albert Trial.

With ride services such as Uber, Lyft, cab rides and transit, a downtick in drunk driving has dipped, while impaired driving caused by drugs is rising. Allison reminds everyone has a responsibility to make safe choices and plan ahead to make it home safe.

For more details on MADD Edmonton and Area, click here.

Norm Coyne, co-owner of GrandeCon spoke with CFWE, highlighting the stacked celebrity appearances for the 5th annual GrandeCon which will include celebrity appearances from WWE Superstar and Hall of Famer Trish Stratus, Letterkenny Star Andrew Harr, and NSYNC Star Joey Fatone and more.

Coyne adds that the event creates excitement, along with after dark events across Grande Prairie where celebrities will appear for connections with the community.

For more details on the 5th Annual GrandeCon, click here.

Elections Alberta has moved the application deadline up from October 9 to September 25, saying the change will give voters enough time to receive and mail back their ballots ahead of the October 16 return deadline.

Special ballot requests have surged, with about 225,000 already received – nearly four times the number submitted during the 2023 provincial election.

Elections Alberta also says outdated wording on the declaration can be crossed out, and ballots will be accepted regardless of how they’re folded.

Kanesa Shwetz, Principal at Rita Marten Nihiyawiwin Kiskinwamatowin High School tells CFWE that many calls are pouring in for registration for parents to get their kids connected to their educational studies and land-based teachings.

Paula Campbell, Cree Language and Culture teacher at Rita Marten Nihiyawiwin Kiskinwamatowin High School speaks on working alongside Elders from Fort Chipewyan First Nation and northern communities to help students connect with culture and the land.

Elder Sara Loutitt with Rita Marten Nihiyawiwin Kiskinwamatowin High School highlights the meaning behind the schools name, which translates to “Cree Language Learning Space” in the Cree language, which also creates a space that nurtures students while building confidence and identity.

Jay-dean Auger, student at Rita Marten Nihiyawiwin Kiskinwamatowin High School speaks on the welcoming environment that the school has created, while supporting her work towards becoming a marine biologist.

The reverse side of the bill features an image of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, located at the site of the 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge in France. The updated polymer banknote includes advanced security features and innovative 3D design. A purple security strip, when tilted, makes some of the images on the banknote appear to move. These include a maple leaf that pulses to a darker shade of purple and a band that spins around poppy petals. A bubble on the bill creates a 3D effect and magnifies the pattern of 20s inside it, while the background pattern of 20s changes into maple leaves.

The new bill also features four plants with cultural significance to Indigenous peoples in Canada: wild strawberries, western red cedar, braided sweetgrass and arctic cotton.