The Everything Red Deer Podcast -- powered by rdnewsNOW

Red Deer Rebels PXP voice Troy Gillard (and former rdnewsNOW boss) joins the program to talk about the Rebels' great start to the season, what's to come, the excitement and buzz around the Centrium, and how they can get ahead as they play seven of their next eight games on home ice. Also joining the conversation is rdnewsNOW's in-house Rebels expert Ian Gustafson. We also talk about the World Juniors and memories of the Saddledome.

Back to our regularly scheduled Friday programming...

Today, we feature conversations from an event held Friday, Oct. 2 at Westerner Park, hosted by the Red Deer Homeless Foundation (RDHF), Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC), and Dress for Success Central Alberta (D4SCA).

Hear from:

(9:32) Joe Roberts, the 'Skid Row CEO,' author of 'The Push for Change,' and motivational speaker

(18:51) Erin Forbes, executive director, D...

On this bonus episode of the show, host Josh Hall first speaks with special guest Meagan Ophus. In our second segment today, Meagan shares her emotional story, and we listen.

Interspersed in this episode are some elements from the 2026 edition of 'A Day to Listen,' courtesy of our friends at the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund. More information is at www.adaytolisten.ca. Listen to more of 'A Day to Listen' on September 30, on 1...

The Minister for Tourism and Sport, Andrew Boitchenko, joins our Sept. 25, 2026 show to talk about a significant funding announcement made on Thursday. For even more details on that, click here. Some community news and notes as well, plus In Case You Missed It.

The minister and host Josh Hall discuss said announcement, plus the World Cup of Hockey, the World Juniors, the Calgary Flames new arena, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, an...

This week's episode is sponsored by Punksgiving III, which goes Oct. 11 in Red Deer. Get your tickets here, and you can win your way in by listening to this week's episode. Two pairs are up for grabs.

(0:00) Interview with Josh Hauta of Punksgiving

(34:44) In Case You Missed It and this week's top 5 stories at rdnewsnow.com

(40:05) Recovery Day interview with Last Door's Giuseppe Ganci -- that event goes Sept. 26 with Trooper!

(48:...

Twenty-five years on from the 9/11 terrorist attacks, The Everything Red Deer Podcast chats with Curtis Schaefer, acting chief of Red Deer Emergency Services. From where we were to the lessons learned, and from cancer coverage to the Firefighters National Memorial this Sunday, host Josh Hall and fellow rdnewsNOW reporter Ian Gustafson discuss with Schaefer the ever-rippling ramifications of that fateful day.

Curtis Schaefer (8:39)

...

Yeah, I'm thinking we're back.

After an August off, the show returns with host Josh Hall positing on all that went on over the summer, plus an interview ahead of Labour Day with Siobhán Vipond, executive vice president with the Canadian Labour Congress. Vipond is visiting Red Deer on Sept. 7 and will be at the free community BBQ hosted by the Red Deer and District Labour Council. That runs from 11-2 at Canada 150 Square in Capstone...

Did you miss Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to Red Deer on Wednesday and the news that followed? It's believed to be the first visit of a sitting prime minister since Jean Chrétien following the Pine Lake tornado in 2000.

Have no fear, for listening to Episode 80 of the podcast will catch you up on the essentials of what was announced; plus a revelation that led to a separate story coming out of Carney's visit.

(0:00) First, ho...

We've made it to TEN YEARS of rdnewsNOW.com -- the machine that is powering (as they say) The Everything Red Deer Podcast!

Here's what you'll hear on this episode:

(0:00) Host Josh Hall and Pattison Media Alberta News Director Sheldon Spackman break down the Top 10 Most Memorable Stories of the Last Decade countdown and offer additional insight from our videos.

(26:51) Josh mentions a laundry list of past names who've worked in new...

Some friends from Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta pop by to first give an update on the 2026 edition of the Heroes Challenge; then we get into some recent special Wish stories, and how you can make an impact for or with the organization. This week, we reversed everything, so In Case You Missed It (29:38), our weekly review of the top stories at rdnewsNOW.com, can be found at the end of today's episode. Stick around to the very end for...

Host Josh Hall gives his two cents on what you can do to make the most of National Indigenous Peoples Day, and welcomes two guests to the show. They are Sylvan Lake Mayor Megan Hanson (15:36), and Sylvan Lake-based Cree knowledge keeper, Mr. Clare Butterfly (23:32). Of course, there's also our weekly segment 'In Case You Missed It' (11:45).

This Sunday, catch the festivities for National Indigenous Peoples Day in Sylvan Lake and Re...

The 2026 Alberta Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony was this past weekend, and podcast host Josh Hall was there to witness the pomp and circumstance, as well as speak with a couple of this year's amazing inductees. That includes Canadian Olympic bronze medallist (curling) Shannon Kleibrink, and longtime HNIC and Grey Cup (among others) statistician David Moir, recipient of this year's Bell Memorial Award for media contributions...

The man behind the Forever Canadian petition, Thomas Lukaszuk, returns to the show to talk about all the latest in the separation saga. The conversation with Thomas comes on the heels of our last episode, where we got reaction from several people on the Premier's recent referendum announcement.

In Case You Missed It (4:10)

Community Corner (7:22)

Thomas Lukaszuk (9:00)

You can hear our first conversation with Mr. Lukaszuk on Ep. 35...

In a whopper of an episode, host Josh Hall speaks with several movers and shakers to get their reaction to Thursday's announcement from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith that Albertans will vote in a referendum on separation this October 19, sort of. It's really a referendum... on a referendum for separation. Gotta love semantics, eh?

Here's where you can skip to for each of today's segments and interviews:

(0:00) Introductory segment

Host Josh Hall was fortunate to be a participant in this week's Grow Kids event -- specifically the 'Human Library,' where kids got to speak with him about the life of a journalist. They had the chance to interview Josh, and Josh interviewed them... and they had some pretty deep thoughts on certain topics. Plus, In Case You Missed It with the top five stories of the week at rdnewsNOW.com, at the end of what has been a very busy wee...