What’s happening lately? Somebody told us usage of the M.D. campground at Canyon Creek is down this summer and blames it on the fact the campground was shut down all of last year. Whether that’s the case or not we don’t know, but it seems a campground by a lake with a marina isn’t going to have many empty spots for long.

And in fact (having talked to the campground manager since the above was written), it turns out campground business is above projections for the season. There are fewer seasonals, she says, but more people camping for a week. Because there are fewer seasonal lots, there are more available for drop-in business, and there has been quite a bit of that happening. The marina, of course, is about as busy as it can be.

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We mentioned in this space (or one like it) that East Prairie was under a boil-water order. It lasted two or three weeks and now it has been lifted. Good news for those folks!
Meanwhile, we’ve been keeping an eye on the blue-green algae warnings from the provincial government and as of press time, hadn’t seen any new ones.

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What would you think about a headline with four comical spelling errors in it? Last week, Google Alerts delivered us the following, from a so-called online ‘news source’ called Eminetra Canada: ‘After endorsing Travis Toos, former cabin minister switches allegiance to Daniel Smith.’ And the subheading: ‘Alberta Services Minister Nate Gurvish has shifted allegiance to UCP leadership candidate Daniel Smith after endorsing former Finance Minister….’

It’s possible, but highly unlikely, such gross misspellings could have happened accidentally. But probably something else is going on. What it might be isn’t clear, but it smells fishy. A Google search reveals Eminetra to be based somewhere in south Asia, although who knows if that’s accurate either. An article lists several other so-called online ‘newspapers’ as being run out of Russia or Ukraine, but pretending to be Canadian.

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The Command Sisters (Sarah and Charlotte) are still in business as a musical act, if we interpreted the online search results correctly. There’s a video of them performing at the Calgary Stampede. We mention it because the girls grew up partly in Slave Lake.

So did the Mallet sisters, Marie Eve and Veronique. They went on to form the band Silvergun & Spleen in Ottawa. But the latest online stuff on them we found last week was five years old.

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The Slave Lake Native Friendship Centre is celebrating 50 years with a pancake breakfast and open house on August 19 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The breakfast is a fundraiser for the food bank. For details, see ad on Page 12.

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The last weekend in August will be a busy one in Slave Lake, with the parade etc. For details, see All-In Slave Lake ad on Page 24 or the event on the calendar on the Lakeside Leader website.

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Here are a few other events added to (or changed on) the calendar on www.lakesideleader.com this week.
There’s a magic show coming to Slave Lake on August 19.

August 20 has two events. Fill the Van in Walmart parking lot, which is Northern Haven Support Society’s annual school supply fundraiser. Métis Nation of Alberta Traditional Plant Camp at Devonshire Beach, registration is required.

September 2 (and every Friday afterward) the Slave Lake Library has added Social Inclusion which is an art-based program for people with special needs and/or learning disabilities.

Starting Wednesday, September 7, Northern Haven Support Society is offering free, one-hour resumé workshops in Slave Lake the first Wednesday of the month.

Details have been added to Raise the Woof on September 9. For tickets, the early bird deadline is August 31.

September 12 the Slave Lake Health Advisory Council is meeting in the Lakeland Centre. Community members are welcome.

September 17 there is a babysitting course in Slave Lake.

For complete details on these and other events, check out the calendar mentioned above.

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There’s an article and ad on Page 24 about the Smith-Hondo Fall Fair and Rodeo Sept. 2 to 4.
Here are two other things happening in Smith that weekend. Bethany Christian Church (in Smith)’s 75th anniversary. It will have some events to celebrate on Sept. 3 and 4.
Char’s Railway Cafe in Smith also has an event that weekend. See ad on Page 7.

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Not just anybody can claim to have been treated to a box of donuts by the award-winning editor of the High Prairie South Peace News. That’s what happened to the Page 9 crew last week when Chris Clegg stopped in. He said he can save big on his groceries by coming down to SL – not counting the cost of gas and donuts. Anyway, what he had on his mind was the goofy stuff that’s been going on in municipal government down at his end of the lake. He makes it sound as if there’s a fairly high level of dysfunction right now, and a low level of trust. He figures the only way to sort it out would be to hold an election, but the next one is over three years away.

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