End of August Events
Yes, Edmonton, summer is winding down. But, don’t worry, there’s still plenty of great stuff going on to lift your spirits. (And pretty good weather recently too.)
On the festival circuit this weekend, there’s DEDfest, In/stall/ed, East Meets West, and Open Sky.
DEDfest is Edmonton’s annual horror film fest. In/stall/ed is is a unique performance and visual art display, happening in the McCauley neighbourhoods in parking spaces. Yeah, public art baby! Latitude 53 is running this, and there will be 17 performances and installations on Saturday. East Meets West continues up in Little Italy and the McCauley neighbourhood, and there’s Mercury Opera performing Madame Butterfly in Giovanni Caboto Park. The Open Sky Music Festival is packing Hawrelak Park with bands and bands and musicians and more musicians.
If you’re into walking, the Highlands neighbourhood is kicking off their walking map this weekend. These maps are great ways to get to know an Edmonton neighbourhood.
I haven’t heard a whole lot about MEAET but it sounds like a cool idea. A bunch of people get together, have some food, enjoy themselves, then vote on who to give some money to for a project.
You can also Show What You Grow, at Fort Edmonton Park.
In music, there’s the earlier mentioned Open Sky Music Festival, with plenty of bands and artists down in Hawrelak Park…Wunderbar’s got Fire Next Time tonight and The Joe and Doug Hoyer triumphantly returning to Edmonton (after a national tour) on Saturday night. Also on Saturday, Hale Hale, Southroot, and Zero Something play the Starlite Room. Back to Friday night, Warped Tourers Inner City Elegance are at Expressionz Cafe. Now back to Saturday (surely I should have done this in chronological order) there’s live music at Ricky’s in Mill Woods (with Consilience and Tyson Skakun).
Oh, and if you walk by CKUA on Jasper Avenue tonight and it seems like something cool is going on it’s because they’re celebrating their amazing record library and have a live performance from 100 Mile House.
Down in the river valley, the Edmonton Capitals host the Calgary Vipers through the weekend.
And over at Clarke Stadium (beside Commonwealth) the Edmonton Huskies are home to Saskatoon Hilltops in Prairie Football.
Finding the Hidden Tracks
Edmonton’s got a thriving music scene. It’s probably always had a good scene, but you don’t see too many stories about this band or that musician leaving town to make it big these days.
Maybe that means the days of huge rock stars are dwindling, but ironically the Internet probably helps people find an audience to at least sustain some of their music (ironic because of downloading and all the terrible stealing it brings).
And you won’t just find Edmonton bands and artists by hitting up sites that are popping up and flourishing to fill the void of MySpace, the Internet also provides a home for mixes, compilations, promotion, distribution, and discussion of music – from Edmonton and afar.
Let’s jump into some places we think you’re going to find plenty of music you’ll like.
This Week’s Events
Hey gang, as mentioned earlier today, we’re busy, busy, busy with the new TV show and will take just a little step back from the website this week. We’re still around, stuff will still get posted, but you might just have to occasionally leave a message at the tone.
So, in case I don’t get to it on a regular basis, here’s some exciting and fun stuff going down in Edmonton this week:
The Citadel Theatre has two plays on right now. The Three Musketeers (in the MacLab theatre) and Rick: The Rick Hansen Story (in the Shoctor Theatre). Also in theatre, Pervert is running at the Varscona Theatre.
The Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts is tonight.
Wednesday you can check out what some of Edmonton’s software smartypants are up to at DemoCamp 14, at the U of A…Ryan McMahon and the Company Damn, and Doug Hoyer, play the Haven Social Club…Big John Bates is at New City…And Wednesday is also Awareness to Down There-ness Day (for the Underwear Affair), so expect to see some underwear.
Thursday, Old Ugly’s Concert Series continues at Leva (CJSR is also a sponsor) with DoT (Phil Holtby) releasing his first album, Miss Teviak…and F&M play Accent European Lounge with Jenie Thai…
Friday…Weird Canada Presents: DUZHEKNEW + Cousins + Service:Fair + The Group Sounds, at Wunderbar…Latitude 53′s new exhibits – Noxious Sector’s “Of Brains and Magnets” and Jinzhe Cui’s “When Dreams Lighten the Reality” – begin their stay at the artspace…and check YEG Live for more concert listings.
The NHL playoffs begin this week, so expect some extra mid-week company at your local sportsbar. (Yes, Oilers fans, there is hockey beyond April. I know it’s getting hard to remember that.)
Donate to CKUA. The Alberta-wide radio network is in the middle of its spring fund drive, so keep Alberta radio Albertan (and indie, and eclectic).
Vote for CJSR’s Chad and Colin – hosts of the Tuesday morning show “Makin’ Whoopee” – as best local radio personality(ies) in SEE Magazine’s annual Best of Edmonton. Also vote for Wunderbar and Luzzara wherever you can because they’re great Whyte Avenue businesses that didn’t make the SEE cut.
April 8 Edmonton Headlines
It’s all about being downtown. Our core is slowly building into an amazing, livable space and everyone wants to get in on that action.
The Oilers want a new arena downtown, the Royal Alberta Museum is moving in from Glenora. Oh, you didn’t hear?
It was announced the new Royal Alberta Museum (New!) will be built behind City Hall, north of 104 Avenue. It looks like it will be quite the new digs.
Though, while architecture may have imrpoved since the late 70-early 80s let’s try and not get crazy with tearing down everything to build new. That’s how we got the beige rectangle invasion around Jasper and 100 Street.
Speaking of downtown arenas…Northlands is ready to fight for concerts and large events. Which would throw the whole Katz Group plan into a mess; its those concerts and events they really want revenue from. And that would throw your tax dollars into a mess because the City of Edmonton is trying to work out a way to help pay for the downtown arena. It doesn’t necessarily mean bad things for Edmonton, heck we might get more concerts, but it certainly affects the profit of the Katz Group with a new arena.
The provincial government, spending on that museum, must be in a spending mood because the premier is expecting to talk with Edmonton’s mayor about some arena funding.
Oh, and while there’s plenty of parking downtown, some of it even free after 6pm, that may change with a new arena.
Outside of the downtown… (more…)
Busy Headlines – no, seriously, there’s a lot going on in Edmonton
Wow. A federal election, an all-day city council meeting on the downtown arena, a sensational murder trial, and a fire this morning. I do not miss the panic of being in a daily newsroom today. It is sweet indeed to be able to sit back and take a wider look at what’s going on. (Still took me all morning though.)
Speaking of that fire…we received this report, and photos from Amanda, this morning:
FIRE!
I was awakened to the thrum of engines running just outside my window. During the winter that meant snow-clearing was in progress. Surely not today…I went to the balcony and looked out to see what the commotion was: there were fire trucks lined up north of 99th St. and when I looked towards Whyte Ave I saw flames, smoke and a huge jet of water being directed to the fire! I thought about what businesses those were – it must be the beauty shop, the restaurant and a few offices up on the second floor. All this next to The Empress Ale House and the laundromat on the corner.I saw the pool of water on the street gathering volume as the water pump truck continued to jettison its powerful spray on to the roof of the building. Flames kept curling up relentlessly as the water attempted to douse them. There were men up on the roof, as well, attempting to douse the flames. Emergency lights blinked, firefighters barked out orders, and early morning risers were glued to their windows or were out on the street getting a closer look. I certainly hope that there were no people inside and that the damage will be minimal.
The traffic today down Whyte Avenue and down 99th Street will be more than a bit hectic. Perhaps this is a good day to walk to work. The smell of smoke and burning fills my nostrils as I finish writing this…
And that’s just where we begin today’s look at Edmonton.
Monday Headlines
Hmm…let’s see…was there anything news worthy between our Friday Headlines and today.
Anything at all?
Oh!
Radio station The Sound flipped formats to Lite 95.7 – because nobody else ever plays Michael Buble. Stupid Sound, breaking my heart like that. Sonic started up just before I moved here, so The Sound was the first station that launched in Edmonton, in the six years I’ve been here, that I actually tuned into for more than a couple of songs. I get the impression from tweets that I wasn’t alone.
Makes me glad I donated to CJSR. I think I shall remember to donate to CKUA this year.
Don’t worry, we won’t be turning into the same old kind of media outlet anytime soon. Mostly because we’re not in it for the money. We’re in it for the community. And the pizza parties.
Oh…this just in…there was also a federal election call on Friday afternoon.
The Conservative government was found in contempt of Parliament and brought down in a confidence vote. Prime Minister Stephen Harper then went to the Governor General to ask that parliament be dissolved and an election called. We go to the polls May 2. This is actually quite a big deal since a country in the commonwealth has never found a government in contempt. Ever.
While Alberta is usually painted Conservative blue on election night maps there may be a few ridings to watch. We have New Democrat MP Linda Duncan in Edmonton-Strathcona. This will be her first election as the incumbent after beating, now-surrounded by controversy, Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer.
The NDP must feel this has opened up possibilities in our city, since leader Jack Layton was here on the weekend to kick off the national campaign (Stephen Harper will be near here Monday). Watch Edmonton-East, with Ray Martin up against long-time Conservative Peter Goldring, and Edmonton-Centre, where Lewis Cardinal will carry the orange banner against Conservative Laurie Hawn (and the Liberals may still have strength here).
There’s also an interesting race out in Edmonton-Sherwood Park, where the conservative vote (note the small c) will be split again between the party’s man, Tim Uppal, and the not-quite party’s man so he’ll run as an independent, James Ford.
The election is always a good time to take a look at riding inequality. It’s a problem we hear about provincially, with fewer voters in the rural ridings and more power coming with those votes, but there could be a few changes federally to balance things out.
Remember to read up and vote!
The City of Edmonton got into Earth Hour by darkening City Hall, the library, and Churchill Square.
*****
Wow. The City’s 311 phoneline is getting 100 calls each week about the downtown arena.
It’s going to be a long pothole season for the guys fixing the roads.
I actually didn’t think there were full-service gas stations anymore. Good for those guys.
Did you remember to turn down the lights on Saturday night, Edmonton? (That sounds much sexier than I meant it to.) Or were did you need the lights on, and computer powered-up to file an appeal of the City’s assessment of your home?
Rabbit Hill’s downhill bike park is done.
A couple of Edmontonians picked up Junos last night. The Edmonton Music Awards continue in our city at the Haven Social Club this evening.
*****
The question for Morinville parents is: Who wants public education?
The RCMP isn’t going anywhere. The federal police agency has another 20-year contract with the provincial government. That should just about do it for talk about an Alberta police force (at least for the next decade or so).
A bunch of U.S. mayors are speaking out against the oilsands.
Families should be notified of someone dying. They should be notified in fewer than 11 days.
Dandelions are getting a reprieve in Alberta this summer. More weeds and plants are now on the hit list though.
*****
Always nice to see people come together to help each other out.
Back to Winter, Back to Fun
Looks like a pretty good weekend ahead, Edmonton.
The weather’s pretty much returning to normal, but it should still be great for Freezing Man and Winter Light’s Illuminations. Freezing Man is a day of electronic and alternative music, while Illuminations is all about turning Churchill Square into what winter is all about, with entertainment, skating, and free hot chocolate. And a snowball fight.
The Edmonton Rush host Calgary for their home opener at Rexall Place. Go Rush!
The Edmonton Oil Kings are also home this weekend.
In music…Gorgon Horde is at Wunderbar… There’s a wine tasting auction featuring the ESO…CKUA presents Leeroy Stagger…the Sonic Band of the Month is Feast or Famine, and they’re at the Pawn Shop…Jordan Norman has a CD release at the Haven, with Christian Hansen (and no Autistics)…Ann Vriend is at the museum…yes, the actual museum.
Global Game Jam Edmonton is going to be all about putting together a video game (or working on a game) this weekend.
Tonight is Hip Hop on the Wall, a fundraiser for Hip Hop in the Park.
This weekend is the 1st birthday of the new Art Gallery of Alberta. Happy Birthday, you crazy, beautiful building.
And, on Sunday, watch for LRT delays north of Churchill (again).
It is Christmastime
Before I even tell you what I think is happening this weekend, I’ll just let you know that we are indeed in the holiday mode. There are singing trees, festive events, and carols. Oh the carols!
So, let’s begin with a bunch of Christmas stuff.
When I was talking about the Christmas concert I attended this week I noted the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was kicking off its seasonal shows. They’ve got Handel’s Messiah, with the Richard Eaton Singers, this weekend.
Over at the Blue Chair Cafe it’s the Rault Family Annual Christmas show…the Christmas Carol Project is at NAIT’s Nest…The Cosmopolitan Music Society is doing their Christmas thing…the Shaw Conference Centre has the Festival of Trees…
The City Market is back for some holiday food action. You can catch vendors at Churchill Square and City Hall. The Handmade Mafia is rocking Orange Hall, for your shopping convenience.
Souljah Fyah is releasing a new CD at On The Rocks. CKUA is presenting a great show with Colleen Brown, Trevor Tchir, and Jeff Stuart and the Hearts.
December is a new month, and new months mean new movies. And Gregg knows all about that.
Hard Core Logo: Live wraps up its run at the Roxy this weekend. Much Ado About Nothing is in the middle of its short run at the Walterdale.
If you are into coffee you are going to want to be at Transcend-Garneau, Saturday evening. They’re hosting a Barista Jam, with coffee folks from around the city.
The Oilers and Oil Kings are in Edmonton this weekend.
On Sunday there’s an interesting event at Enterprise Square. It’s all about reclaiming lost, empty, unused spaces in our urban environment. Such a good idea!
An early Merry Christmas to Share Edmonton and YEGLive.ca for keeping me in the loop on Edmonton events.
Keep CJSR cool (or, why I’m donating to the FunDrive)
Just one of the many fine prizes you get, simply for donating.
I’m probably boring you with all my talk of CJSR’s FunDrive. But I’m not done yet.
Today, I donated. I really, actually, finally donated. And, if you’ve got a few bucks, I think CJSR is a cause worth some of your money.
Since Edmonton has more radio stations, per capita, than anywhere else in Canada, you can get lost in a sea of signals playing the same Black Eye Peas or Nickelback songs.
CJSR (and the always mentioned CKUA) isn’t like that.
With its varied and eclectic shows, produced and hosted by volunteers, you’ll hear more music, more genres, in a day than all of those commercial radio stations could play in a month. I guarantee it.
And we can bask in this endless music, and music knowledge, for a paltry $125,000. Surely you’ll help meet that goal.
Do it for music! Do it for local! Do it for Chad and Colin who are secretly the best morning show hosts in all the city! Do it so we have a station that goes out of its way to not play the same songs over and over!
Oh, and if you’re in the mood to donate to original, local media we’re always accepting sweet moola.
Give to CJSR all your monies
Mmm...radio cake...
First off, I do feel bad for forgetting about the CKUA Fall Fundraiser, so give to them some of all of your money too.
But today is the first of ten days of the 2010 CJSR FunDrive!
CJSR is a campus and community radio station located in the subterranean levels of the University of Alberta.
It’s Edmonton’s volunteer-run radio station, boasting a line-up of shows so eclectic it will literally blow your mind. (That’s why you can only listen for up to seven hours at a time.)
CJSR isn’t rock, it isn’t country, it’s not pop or hip-hop…CJSR is ALL of that, and world beats, alternative news, roots, blues, metal, and 17 genres of music you haven’t even heard of yet.
If you need two more reasons to donate some money to CJSR here they are:
1: You get swag like hoodies, belt buckles, and compilation albums.
2: Check the video of Makin’ Whoopee hosts Chad and Colin (above), as they detail month after month of the 2010 Conservative Party of Canada calendar. I’ve selected one of my favourites, the Grandma Party month, as an example. Those guys deserve your monetary love.
Radio Donation Headlines
Good morning, radio-listening Edmontonians.
In all of the election excitement last week I forgot to talk about CKUA’s Fall Campaign
Twice each year the Alberta-wide CKUA radio network asks for listener support, in the form of money. Donations make up more than 70 percent of CKUA’s operating budget. Even without me reminding you, CKUA brought in more than $580,000 dollars in ten-days of fundraising. Nice job, Edmonton.
You should probably follow CKUA so you don’t need me to remember their spring fundraiser.
Before I do forget, CJSR’s FunDrive begins tomorrow morning.
Edmonton’s campus and community radio station does the FunDrive once each year, and it also helps make up a large chunk of their budget. CJSR is run by an army of volunteer announcers (Hey, you could even be one!) so the money helps keep the lights on, wheels on the wheely-chairs, and top-end music playing. (I guarantee if you listen to CJSR and CKUA you are going to hear music nobody else even thinks of playing.)
Even though Edmonton’s got 73 other FM and AM stations (I may be rounding up…but only slightly) CKUA and CJSR are not only worth your time they are worth your money. Plus…prizes!
Now…we talked yesterday about the return of the Alberta Legislature…after the jump we’re doing to really dive in… (more…)
Hold onto your potatoes
We’re right into the heart of Edmonton summer now, jam-packed with festivals. This is our time to shine, our time to live it up.
This weekend’s choices are plentiful. (And I realized, after I started linking, that events from ShareEdmonton and YegLive.ca are integrated today. Just mixing it up.)
Tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday there’s the SOS Fest, all over Old Strathcona.
We think it’s going to be so much fun, so many bands and musicians in lots of venues, that we’ve set up a separate blog just for the SOS. We’ll post through the weekend (which is not something we ever do) over there and wrap it all up here, Monday. Let us know who we should check out, which venues we should experience, and show us where the most fun is happening. We’ll see you on the street.
Oh, and Sunday also sees Whyte Avenue shut down for its annual street sale, plus two stages of live music for the SOS Fest. (I told you it was the place to be this weekend.)
Still in the neighbourhood, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is playing at the Walterdale.
In sports, there’s the World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands, Sunday. Bars will be busy, I’m sure. The Capitals and Prospects are on the ball diamonds, and the Eskimos are home to the Montreal Alouettes.
The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival is back at Churchill Square.
Doors Open Edmonton and the Edmonton & Northern Alberta Historic Festival are going to take you into buildings you don’t normally get to explore, places sometimes unseen, and historic spots worth visiting. Including CKUA and Alley Kat brewery in Edmonton. Plus, there’s a walking tour of the Highlands neighbourhood.
That’s not to be confused with the Highland Gathering, at Fort Edmonton Park.
If you’re swinging by the Downtown Farmers’ Market you’re probably going to see the All Ford Classic Show.
Down in Hawrelak Park, the Freewill Shakespeare Festival continues with their runs of MacBeth and Much ado about nothing.
In music not related to the SOS Fest, OK GO is at the Starlite tonight. Raygun Cowboys play New City. And Streetheart, yes Streetheart, will be rocking the Century Casino.
The Art Gallery of Alberta is going late-night with another Refinery party. The Valley Zoo is also going for something with an after-hours feel, hosting ZooFest. The Bissell Centre is holding a Block Party of the Century too.
Transcend Coffee is putting their baristas to the test, Sunday, to see who deserves to compete in the Prairie Regional Baristas Championship. The latte foam will be flying.
If you’re heading toward Victoria Hill, just off 116 Street, Sunday, I hope you’re driving a soapbox racer.
And you can always see a movie.
Take the CKUA tour
This is where the magic happens.
Edmonton, we are heading into one of the busiest, most fun, weekends this city will have all year. But more on that later. As part of this weekend, Doors Open Edmonton will take you into buildings not always open to the public, including the hallowed halls of radio station CKUA. (And a certain brewery we already talked about today.)
Do you have any Pink Floyd?
I am going to be filling my ears with the Sounds of Old Strathcona at the SOS Fest, but you should explore CKUA if you have the time. (If I’m reading their form right you can actually tour beyond this weekend too.)
Recently, as part of the photo scavenger hunt of the Edmonton Community Challenge I had the pleasure of touring one of Canada’s oldest radio stations. It was a treat. (That’s Eri giving us a tour!)
-
68, 500 CDs at last count.
I’ve got a couple dozen records at home, so it’s pretty humbling to see room after room full of LPs, 45s and other format of vinyl I’ve never even heard of. Some of them probably can only still be played at places like CKUA.
They’ve got close to 70,000 CDs, so you know your collection pales in comparison. Heck, I don’t even know if your iTunes library could stack up to the tracks they’ve got. They have so many albums coming in each week that they have to play something off of them a couple of times just to make it worth keeping around.
I can only imagine how many days of listening their iTunes would tell them they have. Probably beyond Gigabytes of music if it was all digitally converted. (Ask them about their preservation and conversion of music while you’re there.)
I’ve worked in private radio stations, I’ve been to other radio stations, and CKUA is by far the neatest radio station I’ve been to.
The one downside to all of this CKUA greatness is that the building, being older, isn’t totally wheelchair friendly. They do have a tour of the floors without stairs, and even that is pretty cool, since it includes a lot of the records, and other nooks and crannies of music history.
This is where the ghost spins tunes.
April 29 Edmonton Headlines
We’ll start today with a great bit of news.
Did I mention that fundraisers like CKUA's usually come with FANTASTIC prizes?
Albeit a late bit of news.
CKUA made their 2010 Spring Campaign fundraising goal. And more.
They wanted $600,000 and received support from their listeners in the range of $691,000. Not too shabby.
It’s good news since stations like CKUA and CJSR, that depend on listeners for their budgets, weren’t doing as well the last few campaigns. I guess it’s one of those items that doesn’t always make the cut when your own budget needs to be reigned in.
For CKUA it means continuing 80+ years of great, varied, eclectic, regional, fun, smart music and arts programming.
Now…as for our own needs to buy fancy things…
from the Edmonton Journal:
Talks to begin on bus to International Airport (Yay, no more $50 cab rides.)
Edmonton Public School superintendent aims for 100% grad rate
Right after other provinces are encourage to hold democratic elections for their Senate nominees: Alberta to forego new round of Senate nominee elections: Stelmach
Cabinet Tour 2010 tests political waters
Alberta government increases STARS funding
StatsCan confirms last year’s recession (It would have been crazy if they hadn’t found we were in recession.)
from the Edmonton Sun:
Falling crime rates are making Edmonton a ‘safe city’ (But I wonder if we’ll every really give up our shanks.)
Thieves make off with trailers (And there’s reward money to help find them. The trailers, that is.)
Patient sickened by hospital parking fees
Trudeau listens to voters of tomorrow
from Metro Edmonton:
Take 15 to clean, mayor says (It’s Capital City Clean Up time!)
New tool unveiled to help kids learn about energy
from the Edmonton Examiner:
Donate-a-Ride facing increased demand
Fundraiser puts junk to good use
from The Canadian Press:
Alberta Premier Stelmach elbows his way into fight with rival Wildrose Alliance
from 630CHED/iNews880:
Enhanced parking spots at LRT might be coming soon than expected
Two men face 300+ charges (That’s a lot of charges.)
Simon and Garfunkel postpone Edmonton concert
from CBC Edmonton:
City fixes LRT traffic signal headache
Alberta workplace deaths down in 2009 (Wednesday was the day to remember workers who have died on the job. Interesting story over here on workplace inspections.)
Syncrude conviction would end industry, lawyer argues (Riiiiight…)
Alberta pig farmer starts over a year after H1N1
from CTV Edmonton:
Teen girl prohibited from playing football with the boys gets second chance (No, I’m not just talking about the movie “Little Giants” again.)
Rahim Jaffer update: Dude’s story is not looking so good these days.
from Vue Weekly:
Democracy is choice (Why the Democratic Renewal Project’s plan to have candidates step aside limits your options.)
And a couple for May Day – Solidarity in diversity – Awakening the labour giant
from SEE Magazine:
Tory sheep go to pasture (Those backbench MLAs sure don’t say a whole lot.)
Well, this could bode well for the Oilers’ future.
April 15 Edmonton Headlines
If you have one of these, reusable mugs, then you can get free coffee at Starbucks today. Go now!
Good morning, Edmonton.
I haven’t checked the weather, I haven’t been outside, I’m hoping the stupid wind is taking a day off.
Looks like it’s time to break out the piggy bank, because your favourite province-wide public radio station is into their spring fundraising drive. And I like their moxie.
“Bring it.”
That’s what CKUA is saying about raising $600,000 by April 25. It’s a big challenge and you’ve got to like the fact they are jutting out the chin, puffing up the chest and rushing into it head-on.
We’ve talked about fundraising for radio stations before, most recently when CKUA had their fall campaign. Needless to say, we respect what CKUA and CJSR do.
(CJSR being the community station located on the U of A campus. We also like them.)
So, if you’ve got some money just laying around, and you’re not presently giving it to us to help us buy gold-plated shoes and cover even more of Edmonton, CKUA is a good deal.
I mean, there aren’t many radio stations playing blues, jazz, rock, country and a bazillion other genres of music. Some you’ve never even heard of. Plus, after 83 years, they’ve kind of earned your damn respect.
from the Edmonton Journal:
Crashes in Edmonton cost $900M a year (This looks at all of the various costs of a crash.)
Edmonton will borrow $108.3M to make up for grant shortfall
With chickens in backyards, problems may come home to roost (I wonder if they’d let me keep one on my balcony.)
Environmental groups launch NAFTA complaint against oilsands
Ermineskin Cree Nation’s joint oil and gas venture could set trend
Syncrude deal boosts case for local upgrader: U of A prof
Victoria’s Secret expects huge response to Edmonton store (I can see the people lining up all night to be first into the Apple store, or first to get a new game, but who’s lining up for bras?)
from the Edmonton Sun:
Autistic kids carrying GPS systems
Speeding ticket stayed after Edmonton cop’s ‘aggressive’ conduct
Coun. Bryan Anderson to be inducted into sports hall of fame (He’s a high school coach extraordinaire.)
from Metro Edmonton:
Ladies take over the night (Hahaha.)
from the Edmonton Examiner:
New Earth Day venue allows for indoor activities (No more getting stuck in Hawrelak Park.)
Dry weather likely to cut mosquito spraying (But we might have a lot of grasshoppers. And other dry-weather creepies I’m not even aware of.)
Suggest activities for Churchill Square (Stabbings. …I’m kidding of course.)
Five public schools closed (Sure we’ve been over this, but it’s worth repeating.)
from 630CHED/iNews880:
Council approves budget after last-minute budget crunching (You and I get a 5% tax increase.)
What happens to school buildings (Can we just burn them to the ground?)
End of an era for Pharmacology department at U of A
from CBC Edmonton:
Get tough on ‘high-risk’ employers: AG report (It’s Auditor General report time!!!!)
Former pro wrestler Gene Kiniski dies
from CTV Edmonton:
Alta. to introduce distracted driving legislation (Get off your cell. Put down that sandwich. Stop doing your hair.)
ATV industry official testifies at young boy’s fatality inquiry (It will be interesting to see what kind of recommendations come out of this ATV death.)
from Vue Weekly:
Stand by our man (A new Auditor General, a new Chief Electoral Officer; it’s a new-look arms length legislative body.)
from SEE Magazine:
Kill a school, kill a comuunity
All in the family (Keep it local.)
A cancer removes itself (This is not a health story. It’s a political story.)
We need a jolt of Jaffer (Rahim Jaffer for Premier!)
Thursday, I embrace your busyness.
Help out CKUA already
As I write this, the CKUA Radio Network has raised more than $313,000 in its fall campaign. Their goal for the ten-day fundraiser if $525,000.
If you’re not familiar with CKUA, let General Manager Ken Regan explain to you what it is they do and why that’s important.
“CKUA is Alberta’s listener-supported radio network. It’s also Canada’s largest and most successful community broadcaster.”
Tell us more, Ken.
“It should be considered a heritage broadcaster for it’s milestones over 82 years,” he continues.
“It’s one of the best places for genuine lovers of music in the country. North America. Maybe the world. It’s one of Alberta’s best inventions.”
The station is Alberta-wide, with its Edmonton studios on Jasper Avenue between 106 and 105 Streets. When stations tell you they’ve got something for you, they don’t always. CKUA really does. That’s one way it differs from all those Hot and Bouncy and rock stations on your dial (or your Internet).
“Yeah, we ask for money,” says Regan. “But the difference between CKUA and private radio is they make money. That’s the end, they make money for shareholders. For CKUA money is not the end, it’s the means to the end. We ask listeners to help us run the station.”
The fundraising campaigns are usually 17 days, but they’ve changed things over there at CKUA. They’ve gone to a 10-day event.
“You constantly have to change things up,” says Regan. “We can’t afford complacency.”
Recently, campus-based community station CJSR fell short of its annual FunDrive goal of $150,000. Could the recession be out to get small stations that don’t have large sales departments?
“We could worry about that. We did worry about that in the spring campaign,” Regan says. “But (then) we had the second-best campaign in our history. I believe people will continue to support the things that matter to them.”
“Every campaign is a crapshoot. We never know if we’ll meet our goal. The people with the capacity to support us will continue to support us.”
Now you know. And maybe you want to donate.
Give CKUA all of your money
Well, not ALL of your money. But giving them some of your money sounds much better, now, doesn’t it? (See what I did there?)
After going hard on the CJSR Fundrive it’s only fair to make you think about putting some money into the Alberta-wide non-profit radio powerhouse that is the CKUA Radio Network.
If you’re familar with CKUA’s campaigns you’ll notice they’ve shortened the donation time this fall. Calling it a “good things come in small packages” kind of idea, CKUA is looking to raise $525,000 in just 10 days (October 15 – October 25) instead of the usual two-and-a-half weeks. In one way it’s a good idea; it saves them money, meaning your money goes a little further.
This is right from CKUA’s media release, but it still caught my attention:
Among other campaign highlights, listeners can tune in to the October 17 edition of Natch’l Blues, as host Holger Petersen, (who marks 40 years of broadcasting this year), presents the legendary Big Dave McLean his West Coast Music Award for Blues Recording of the Year. Big Dave and Doc McLean will also celebrate Fall Fundraiser with a special in-studio performance.
So…if you dig an eclectic mix of music (their music library has 1.5-million selections!) and/or the idea of listener-supported radio, you’ll want to donate.
The phone lines open today at 5pm – 1-800-494-2582. And there’s also the option of donating online at CKUA.com.
CJSR is 25! Now give it some money.
We’ve briefly mentioned the CJSR FunDrive in the previous weeks, but now we’re getting all up in your grill about it.
Yes, CJSR is 25 years old and the only way it’s going to keep on living to see more birthdays is with a little help from its friends. You, and everyone in Edmonton, would be the friends. And you know that you can host a show on CJSR, right? Well, you do now.
We swung through community radio HQ Wednesday, as the FunDrive and fun were kicking off. There were cupcakes then, but they are probably all eaten by now.
Check the video for more info about the whole shebang, including good times at the big closing party at The Artery.
By the way, CJSR isn’t the only Edmonton radio station that looks to listeners for support. CKUA is Alberta-wide and listener-supported. They have their own donation drives through the year. It’s amazing that so much local and indie-radio can exist.
Oh, and here’s something not in the story, CJSR is hosting a record swap this weekend. I’ll admit to being enough of a music nerd to own records and an actual record player.
Make those phones ring for radio!
Get your Art on
Tomorrow means Art. It’s Alberta Arts Days.
That’s a real thing. It’s the 2nd annual, you know.
Tomorrow kicks off Alberta Arts Days, as it’s a whole weekend of artsy stuff, right around the province.
One neat thing that I’ve found is the Edmonton Public Library’s “Experimental Novel.” The EPL is asking people to help them write the story, via online posts, and they’ve got an author to moderate and edit.
Oh, and CKUA is touring the province, so you can feel like you’ve been everywhere, man, without actually leaving your radio (or computer).
In Edmonton, here are some of the art ideas. They include open houses, workshops, performances, showings, author readings and book launches, concerts and performance art, food, tours, films, and, and, and…
It doesn’t matter where you are, however, since the government of Alberta is backing this (read: paying for some stuff) and you can find out what’s happening wherever you may be this weekend.
This speaks to the challenge of mankind. And why you need to find real artists to spend time with this weekend.
CJSR videos make me laugh more than TBS*
Hey, gang!
The CJSR Fun Drive kicks-off next week (we may be doing more on this once it gets going) and they’ve got some funny, funny, funny videos to promote their 25th anniversary. (That second link has a nice skewing of rock radio.)
(Wow, I’m older than Edmonton’s community radio station. Normally I’m way younger than radio stations.)
If you’re not familiar with this station because you listen to nothing but your iPod or commercial radio (or, gasp, CBC) let me give you the Coles Notes. CJSR is housed at the University of Alberta, it’s volunteer-driven (which means lots and lots of short shows) and it plays every kind of music. They also do some news and current affairs, and alternative news.
Being at the U of A they also broadcast Golden Bears and Pandas games.
Did you see that I mentioned them being volunteer-driven? Maybe you want to host a show…
Note: Edmonton has another radio station that needs listener money now and then. CKUA is Alberta’s indie radio station and has campaigns during the year as well. On the plus side, you give money you hear few commercials.
*Why do we have to have Peachtree TV? I want TBS branding back.
