Your news this week: Earthquake shakes Lamont County - 2 Lamont fish pond now stocked - 10 ARA revives Mother’s Day tradition - 14 OPINION: Toronto Star hit piece - 4
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Vol. 21, No. 32, Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Kelowna Rockets pick Cole Chudyk in the 3rd round of WHL’s Major Junior prospects draft BY MELISSA MACINTOSH-YOUNG Lamont’s hockey community has another reason to celebrate as local athlete, Kelowna Rockets prospect, Cole Chudyk, was selected 58th overall in the WHL Prospects Draft. The talented forward, who just turned 15, is continuing to make a name for himself in Alberta’s competitive hockey circles and says hearing his name called was a moment he will never forget. “When I heard my name in class, I was a little confused at first and then I got a call from the assistant GM from Kelowna saying that they drafted me and that they were happy to have me,” said Chudyk. “I was very excited and it was a dream come true of mine to get drafted into the WHL.” Following the draft, Chudyk was personally contacted by three members of the Rockets organization to officially welcome him to the team. He is expected to attend the Rockets’ camp this fall as he works toward earning a future spot with the WHL club. For now, Chudyk will return to Calgary where he will continue playing U18 Prep hockey while focusing on development and pushing toward signing with Kelowna.
Cole’s parents, Bonnie and Dwayne Chudyk, say the accomplishment is the result of years of dedication and hard
work. “We are extremely proud of Cole,” they said. “He pushes himself and
strives for the best. His high hockey IQ and determination have helped him get to where he is today.” Adding to an already impressive season, Chudyk was also named among the Top 80 players selected for the Alberta Cup program. The Alberta Cup evaluation process moves through several stages including Showcase events, Top 80, Top 40 and beyond, with the final major event taking place in Quebec during the Winter Games in February. The Top 80 camp is known for being an intense on and off-ice evaluation process, with only a small number of players advancing further through the program. With a WHL draft selection now under his belt and recognition among Alberta’s elite young players, Chudyk’s hockey journey is continuing to gain momentum while making his hometown of Lamont proud. Still growing, Cole is presently 5’8” 171 pounds. In 2024/25 Cole had 31 points in 34 games as a 13 year old playing U15 AAA for Fort Sask. Rangers. Last season at 14, he had 32 points in 24 games for Calgary IHA U15 Prep. His style in the Calgary league has been described as “high motor” and “competitive,” “smart” and “agressive.”
Earthquake felt across Lamont County BY MELISSA MACINTOSH-YOUNG Residents across Lamont County reported feeling the ground shake Saturday morning after an earthquake rattled parts of central Alberta on May 9th. The tremor, which was recorded northeast of Edmonton, was felt in
communities throughout the county, including Lamont, Bruderheim, Mundare, Andrew and the St. Michael area, with many residents taking to social media shortly after the quake to share their experiences. According to preliminary reports from earthquake monitoring agencies, the quake measured approximately 4.5
on the Richter Scale in magnitude and struck northeast of the Edmonton region Saturday morning. No major injuries or widespread damage had been reported as of Saturday afternoon, but the shaking was strong enough to rattle homes, windows and household items across much of eastcentral Alberta.(volcanodiscovery.com)
Terrie Rosa, who lives about 25 minutes north of Lamont, described a frightening start to her morning. “Just after 9 a.m. I was in the house having coffee when there was a loud bang and the house shook for about 10 seconds,” Rosa said. “Pictures fell off the wall and some stuff fell off our dresser. The cats went crazy.” Continued on Page 3