• Numerous charges were laid against Kaden Clouston, 26, following an afternoon shooting on May 1 at a home on Sheep River Court. Taken into custody at the scene, Clouston has been charged with discharging a firearm with intent, aggravated assault and more. The victim, a 53-year-old man, was flown to a Calgary hospital by STARS in serious but stable condition.
• The Okotoks Oilers gave the Brooks Bandits all they could handle in the BCHL Alberta Division semifinal series, taking the top seeds to Game 7 before dropping a 5-1 decision on the road on May 1. It marked the conclusion of a tumultuous season in which the Oilers were one of five clubs to leave the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
• A Foothills man was the big winner at a Western Canada Lottery Corporation event in Edmonton on May 2 as Tom Jones won $1 million on the Bigger Spin during an event at Century Casino. Jones was one of six scratch ticket winners who got the opportunity to spin a giant wheel or play Plinko for real.
• The Edison School Eagles extended their remarkable run of success at the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association Provincial Badminton Championships with a 12th straight 1A banner in the team event on May 4 at Edmonton’s Saville Centre.
• Kurtis Sanheim, chaplain for the Okotoks Legion, could be seen on the big screen when The Liberation Men was screened at Okotoks Cinemas on May 5. Sanheim played a commanding officer in the film that depicts the Canadian army’s efforts to liberate a town in Holland from Nazi occupation during the Second World War.
• The Town of Okotoks was informed by Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver on May 8 that it won’t need to hold a byelection to fill a vacant council seat. The ministerial order means the seat vacated by the resignation of Cheryl Actemichuk in March can be left vacant until the October 2025 general election.
• Okotoks-based Pound Rescue recovered two dogs and a cat on May 10 from a First Nations reserve that had spent days in a home with a human corpse. The animals were found alongside the bodies of a woman and a dog. They were in poor condition after ingesting an unidentified substance.
• EMS and fire crews were called after bear spray was discharged at Westmount School in Okotoks on May 13. Foothills School Division confirmed that bear spray was discharged in a classroom at the K-9 school but would not release the number of students affected for privacy reasons.
• The Okotoks & District Chamber of Commerce was chosen as 2023 Chamber of the Year at the Alberta Chambers of Commerce AGM on May 24-25 in Red Deer. Executive director Dawn LeMaistre said the board and staff are honoured to bring home the award.
• The Okotoks Dawgs kicked off their quest for a third straight Western Canadian Baseball League title with an 11-0 win over the Brooks Bombers in front of 5,412 supporters at Seaman Stadium on May 24. Playing in his third home opener with his hometown team, Connor Crowson led the way with a four-hit, four-RBI performance.
• Okotoks’ Rotary Performing Arts Centre got a new name on May 27 when Okotoks council unanimously approved changing the name to Old Church Theatre. Allan Boss, culture and heritage team lead, said the name makes sense from wayfinding and historical perspectives.
• The Town of Okotoks announced in late May that 11 artists had been selected to paint 19 murals at various locations over the summer. Okotoks council adopted a public art policy in 2023, allocating funds to create an art-rich environment.
• A 65-year-old Calgary man was killed in a glider crash between Okotoks and Diamond Valley on May 29. Kerry Stevenson had been competing in the Canadian National Soaring Championships, an event which was later cancelled.
