March 2 Edmonton Headlines

Good morning, Edmonton. Hope things are just ducky for you.

Oh, that’s going somewhere.

First though, the New York Times is talking oilsands.  I know some people in this province probably cringe when you put oilsands and New York Times in the same sentence. You’ll have to read to see if its good or bad.

Speaking of the oil patch, the Globe and Mail (Also a frightening paper to some, I’m sure.) has a story on whether we are seeing the beginnings of another labour boom that will leave us with sky-high prices.

But, back to being ducky.

The case of Syncrude and the oily ducks is finally in court. This is the story that really helped put Alberta on the map. The maps of multiple environmental and animal-rights groups.

We first heard that 500 ducks died an oily death on a tailings pond, thanks to an anonymous tipster. Later, we found out it was more like 1,600. Syncrude faces some hefty fines if they are found guilty of not doing enough to protect wildlife in the area of their work.

There’s even an oilsands-duck quiz, courtesy of the Journal’s Graham Thomson. (I’ve given you a couple of answers in the previous paragraph.)

Oh, and this photo to the right is pretty much only for Global Edmonton staff. This is a duck. I know you might think it’s a tortoise or an armadillo, but it’s a duck. You guys can e-mail me anytime you run an animal story and aren’t quite sure.

Wait. Scratch that. It’s TV. They do a buttload of useless animal stories, especially involving water skis. Don’t e-mail me. Just buy some picture books for the newsroom.

from the Edmonton Journal:

Grant MacEwan University begins $20M expansion

Skip Cowtown, travellers urged (The Edmonton International Airport wants you to stop driving to Calgary for flights. Maybe, instead of creating fake picket lines, they should spend their time convincing Air Canada and West Jet to schedule flights here. The Herald’s Don Braid has something to say about this.)

Job-training cutbacks another blow to laid-off working poor (Also from the Herald, Support for job seekers, students hit as Alberta shifts spending priorities.)

Infected babies dying as syphilis rate soars

Councillors scrap proposed skateboard site

Tougher bylaws, heftier fines sought by police to muffle noisy bikers

Alberta film industry in crisis, union claims

His talent speaks volumes (Oh, it’s just another improv comedian profile and it…wait…he’s deaf?!)

from the Edmonton Sun:

Cop union boss faces probe

Olympic heroes return (They come bearing gold.)

Heritage fest to host 64 countries

Lemurs replace mating flamingos (The lemurs aren’t new, but this does answer what happened to the sloths.)

from Metro Edmonton:

Local Chilean lends helping hand

from 630CHED/iNews880:

Housing sales soar in Edmonton (Quick, buy my condo.)

Lay-offs at Alberta Education

from CTV Edmonton:

The Oilers are back on the ice, so how about a couple of stories about their players?

They’ve dealt Denis Grebeshkov for a 2nd round pick, and injured goaltender Nioklai Khabilbulin is alleged to have been super-drunk while driving.

from The Gateway (U of A):

There’s more on the U of A student elections: Candidates, referenda make final arguments at Horowitz Forum

Unofficial opposition emerges against Yes side of Millennium Villages referendum (Should students be forced to pay a charity?)

Students to decide PAW centre, U-Pass

Israel Apartheid Week underway

March 20.