September 2 Edmonton Headlines
Good Friday to you, Edmonton. Ready for the long weekend?
The City released a short update on what City Council did this week. The three and four paragraph stories are great for you and me to get a glimpse at what our elected officials are talking about, and it’s bad news for newsrooms that put out the same length, or shorter stories.
That Council Roundup is an example of media and public relations skipping the middleman of newsrooms. There are a few in Edmonton (and every city) that write very little on City Hall. When they write very little they are often doing no more than what we see from the City itself in this Roundup; a few quick notes on what was on the agenda and what happened. Newsrooms are going to have to add some depth and perspective to their stories or risk people skipping them and just checking on the official Roundup.
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I like the gusto of outgoing Premier Ed Stelmach. He says his Conservative caucus is willing to give Edmonton money for a downtown arena, but it’s a decision that he won’t have to give final approval to. Well played.
Speaking of Stelmach…capital region municipalities want to build a better integrated transit system and he doesn’t think that’s a good idea. I take back my kudos. There’s also a consideration for an outer ring road for Calgary?! Geez. I hope Alison Redford or Doug Horner become the next premier and move on some highs-speed rail.
Calgary prosecutors will look at whether a trio of Edmonton police officers went too far during the arrest of an Edmonton shop owner. His own store’s surveillance video will be part of the evidence they can look at.
Surely the irony of attacking the Edmonton salon which produced a domestic violence ad is lost on the vandals. If you want to do something productive to show you don’t think domestic violence is a good way to sell a business, boycott the place or donate to the Bad Ad Fund.
We’ll probably be paying more for water, but it’s not clear if that will be on tax bills or EPCOR bills. Meanwhile…at EPCOR Tower…that utility is already going to try to boost fees for sewer and and drinking water. Of course, they are mulling the decision.
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Minimum wage went up with the new month. And it really is a minimum (even more so for those in jobs serving alcohol).
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Lloyd Robertson anchored his last national newscast last evening.
Hang Up and Drive Headlines
I guess, more accurately, that headline should “Hang up, put down the sandwich, don’t do your hair and makeup, shave before you get into the car, stop tweeting on your iPad and drive.” Yes, Alberta’s new distracted driving law takes effect today. It’s a $172 ticket, so keep your eyes on the road.
Alberta is not the first province to have this kind of law.
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Edmonton councillors will talk about the community revitalization levy (CRL) in October. This is the tax zone that’s supposed to help fund the downtown arena downtown revitalization projects. I hope it goes through and we finally see something productive happen on 104 Street, at 109 Street, at the old Canada Post property, with LRT expansion, and…what? That stuff is already happening?
Are you sure? I mean, how can it happen without an arena?
Speaking of LRT…Engineering design is to begin on Edmonton’s expanding LRT system.
Edmonton’s deficit for the year is improving.
One community in each of Edmonton’s five police divisions is going to get a little more policing. This is part of a new crime reduction strategy from the Edmonton Police Service. The EPS, by the way, is stretched thin trying to solve this year’s extra homicides.
I’m a little boggled on this one. Three Edmonton newsrooms (the Sun, CTV, and CHED/iNews) have a story today on a fatality report being released. Yet, CBC had it two weeks ago. Just a strange delay.
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This school year will be the first for public education in Morinville. Which sounds really weird when I read that back. (Today is the first day of school for most students.)
A new way to move patients through the University Hospital faster will likely be applied at other hospitals after successful wait time reductions. We’re also performing more surgeries in Alberta.
Being the start of a new month all the monthly magazines are out with new issues. Alberta Venture’s got a look at the Slave Lake fire.
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The photocopiers were flying, more textbooks are likely to be required, and more online links will be provides, because the University of Alberta’s getting out of its copyright agreement with Access Copyright. (Also, check out that new Gateway website! They’ve also got a refresher on top U of A summer stories.)
U of A students are depressed, not getting exercise, and not eating enough fruits and vegetables. But they’re not doing as many drugs as you may think.
The U of A’s Faculty of Arts is cutting some language classes to save money.
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Libraries are not just “warehouses for books” anymore.
And that library story probably has a tie-in to this one about Blockbuster closing their remaining Canadian stories. (Locally, you can still find movies at Videodrome and The Movie Studio.)
August 29 Edmonton Headlines
Good morning, Edmonton!
When school resumes in the Edmonton Public School Board, junk food will not be back in class. Jamie Oliver would be so proud.
Perhaps talking about Edmonton being a big city will be the way to get Edmonton Transit to create some late-night, or 24-hour transit. It’s overdue, so let’s make it happen!
It sort of feels like Mayor Mandel has given up on his “no more crap architecture” stance when quoted about the Royal Alberta Museum designs. People have been panning the four choices for our new museum since they were unveiled by the provincial government. I’ll admit I don’t mind one of them, but nothing is really wowing me.
Cynical folks would say Mandel is backing off criticizing because he wants the provincial government to find $100-million for a downtown arena. But, hey, he could just like the designs.
Speaking of the downtown arena… “…if the same amount of money that might go into pro sports facilities could be spent on something else with a bigger impact, that’s where the money should go.”
$100-million could go a long way toward a lot of things.
Question: How can everybody love downtown without a downtown arena? Do these people hate nice things?!
Alright, before I get all riled up about the downtown arena, let’s move on. (more…)
August 26 Edmonton Headlines
Good Friday to you, Edmonton.
Do you want government money to go into the downtown arena proposal?
If your answer is “no” then I guess you hate downtown Edmonton.
The new idea from City Hall is to tax the entire downtown area to help pay off loans and construction costs of the Oilers’ new home, as well as help put some money into a few other downtown projects. It would also take away nearly a quarter-of-a-billion dollars in provincial education money (giving it to downtown projects), and potentially raise taxes across the city because extra tax revenue in this giant CRL (community revitalization levy) area would be dedicated to downtown projects and couldn’t cover any other items in the City budget.
I like downtown Edmonton. I think it’s coming along nicely. Don’t make me a bad guy for not wanting to pay Daryl Katz for an arena, City of Edmonton.
Never before had $15 sparked such anger, such fury. When the provincial government announced it was going to charge municipalities for license plate information searches done on a vehicle pulled over for a moving infraction, or a parked car breaking the rules, municipalities, including Edmonton, and police forces, couldn’t believe it. They fought, they pouted, they got their way.
My hunch is that oil prices went up enough this year to allow the provincial government to drop this fee to future budget debates. But, then, I can be really cynical.
Also, if the Alberta government really needs the $15, they should just tack it on to provincial traffic fines.
We aren’t done yet! (more…)
August 25 Edmonton Headlines
Good morning, Edmonton! Quite the busy day here, so let’s get right to things.
There’s a double-edged effect to revitalizing a business zone. Owners can charge more for rent and smaller, local, business can’t always afford to rent, and you get left with chain stores that sap the area of character. Building and property owners need to take more responsibility if they want to be part of character neighbourhoods, heritage districts, and promote local industries.
When if the downtown arena gets built I wonder what the spin-off costs to the City of Edmonton (and you and me as taxpayers) might be with Rexall Place and Northlands. There are costs there that are not part of the proposed $450-million arena pricetag.
Speaking of the downtown arena…it’s kind of tied into the entire downtown plan now. So, I guess, you either like the downtown arena getting a bunch of government cash or you hate downtown Edmonton.
Edmonton’s got the shortest commute (by a few minutes) in Canada’s largest cities. Startling: 85% of drivers have never stepped on a bus, streetcar, or train to get to work. That seems an almost impossible number to believe. People taking transit to work are riding buses and the like for about 44 minutes, compared to the Edmonton drive time of 23 minutes. BUT! Drivers are far more cranky about their commute.
Speaking of commuting to work…It was not your imagination, the Whitemud was worse than usual Wednesday morning.
Now that you’ve commuted to your office, let’s keep going. (more…)
Loving, Hopeful, and Optimistic Headlines
Good morning Edmonton.
I can’t get over the outpouring of grief I’m seeing for NDP leader Jack Layton. I knew the guy was liked, clearly the NDP won people over in the last election – possibly engaging with voters who never voted before – but statements and status updates from people I’ve never known to say anything publicly about politics are what really choked me up. (That, and Layton’s final letter to Canadians.)
And to see people gathering at Toronto City Hall, where Layton was a councillor for many years, and Parliament Hill you know why he will receive a rarely offered state funeral.
This is probably one of the better obits you’ll read on Jack Layton, from the Toronto Star. It gives quite a full history of his work.
There will be a candlelight vigil for Jack Layton at the Alberta Legislature Wednesday night. His state funeral will take place this Saturday, in Toronto. You can express your condolences online.
Now we’ll talk about regular Edmonton news. Because the more we know about what’s going on, the more educated we can be. The more informed we are, the better decisions we can make. And when we make good decisions we can do what needs to be done. Not what we want to be done, what needs to get done for the whole community. Whether you agree with Jack Layton’s politics and policies (or mine) we can all try to make things a little better. (more…)
August 19 Edmonton Headlines
Look at the difference in road top. Smooth!
Welcome to the end of the week, Edmonton.
Since the daily news media loves talking about crime, building it up to levels not actually seen here (or in most cities, for that matter) the Edmonton Police Service is hitting YouTube with new videos to talk about crime officers are seeing on a regular basis. This is great. Not that it won’t come with a little bias from the EPS, but that it helps force the crime debate to get real.
The City of Edmonton is changing things up for snow removal this winter. Neighbourhoods will continue to be bladed with 5cm of snowpack (down from 10cm in previous winters), there will be parking bans on bus route (and elsewhere if it really snows), and you’ll be able to see when your neighbourhood will be cleared on a new website.
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Now, this could just be like the last provincial election when news media were predicting a breakthrough for the Alberta Liberals, but I’m getting the sense from coverage of the Progressive Conservative leadership race that Gary Mar and Alison Redford are the frontrunners. Ted Morton didn’t even get a mention in this story from Medicine Hat’s debate. Sounds like the Mothership really is down.
While some may say Mar’s idea of private healthcare gets shot down on principle alone and won’t get a fair discussion, I say talk about how many more doctors and medical staff you’ll hire before you create two levels of care. If you don’t hire more staff, buy more diagnostic machines, and open more clinics, you aren’t creating more healthcare space, you’re simply splitting it in two.
If you can’t make it out to the leadership debates, you can hit up videos on the Edmonton Journal’s website which will answer some frequently asked questions.
Meanwhile…outgoing PC leader and premier Ed Stelmach seems determined to find a way to throw in $100-million for Edmonton’s downtown arena. This, after PC leadership candidates asked him to stop announcing projects that are going to cost them money, or have to be pulled back off the table by them.
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The Alberta government is worried about environmentalists. Oh, did I say Alberta government? I mean oil and energy executives.
Do any of these designs for the new Royal Alberta Museum (to be built behind City Hall, beside the CN Tower) float your boat? I don’t mind the first one from EllisDon, but none are blowing me away.
Alberta won’t be getting its own police force for at least 20 years. The RCMP’s getting a contract renewal.
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Excellent commentary from Vue Weekly on suicide. Too often mental illness is hushed up, but we need more mental health and mental illness awareness, not less. It gets extra points for going after the news media and police policies of not reporting openly on suicides. If there’s a fear of others copying that, why do murders and violent crimes not get the same silence?
Spinning off that, PC leadership candidate Rick Orman wants to have more treatment of mental illness and addiction in our jail system.
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A dentist is offering free treatments to people without dental insurance.
We are falling very much in love with our smartphones and tablets. I wonder if the CRTC can stay relevant in the digital age.
August 11 Edmonton Headlines
We sure are!
Good Thursday to you, Edmonton.
The police chief and mayor revealed a little more detail on where Edmonton is going in new crime-fighting and crime prevention programs. They’ll need help from the provincial government to fund some of the ideas. They could probably also use some help from the courts and parole systems to ensure the worst, and repeat, offenders don’t get out as often as they sometimes do. But crime prevention is really going to be the long-term key.
Among the items: more social workers and social assistance, more enforcement in high-risk neighbourhoods, trying to get tougher laws, or punishments, for knives and “edged weapons,” domestic violence awareness.
It all sounds good, but money and the actual projects and help will have to come through for anything to improve beyond our current state. (And, a reminder, we are currently seeing decreases in crime right across the country. Mack’s got a new look at some homicide numbers too.)
Just a quick, cynical, side note: If the mayor wants money, because that’s what help from the provincial government will be tied to, for programs both provincially and city-run, would he be willing to give up the downtown arena $100-million request? That kind of money could get a lot of people off the street, build-up mental health treatment, increase social assistance, and create crime prevention activities and programs.
A unanimous city council vote on a sports stadium? I guess that’s what happens when the city isn’t paying and the new stadium is privately financed.
Duncan Kinney has been crunching the numbers on Edmonton’s deal, because it doesn’t sound like anything is working or making lots of people happy with the current plan.
Arena-free from here on out (today anyway). (more…)
August 10 Edmonton Headlines
This was the scene Tuesday at 9pm. So bright!
While this column spins its way around the downtown arena quite a bit, municipalities do get the worst deal when it comes to taxes. Provincial governments, which have power over municipalities like Edmonton, should think about changing the tax rules to allow cities and towns to tax more than property.
Police want you to be on the lookout for an older Chevy Suburban after a shooting in south Mill Woods. The two guys shot are known to police and aren’t talking. No crime should go unpunished, and no crime is more important than another to the victims. But this kind of crime, a shooting that happened in public, is one that justifiably leaves people upset and scared.
We should hear more from the police chief today on new plans to take on violent crime, but the largest way to solve such problems lies outside of policing with social agencies, housing, mental health, and addictions treatment, community groups, and school and recreation resources.
Here’s a good example of a couple of guys who used sports to get university educations.
While there’s going to be a need to involve all kinds of other groups in keeping our city as safe as possible, police budgets are not going to get smaller in the near future.
Five years after a man was shot by Edmonton police the case is still in the courts in appeals and reviews.
Alright, that’s where we’re starting today, but next we’re heading to Whyte Avenue. (more…)
August 9 Edmonton Headlines
Our saviour.
Let’s start Tuesday with the good old downtown arena, shall we.
The Mayor says the City of Edmonton is negotiating a downtown arena deal in good faith and would hope the other side – the Katz Group and Oilers – is doing the same. The question arises after a story last week about Enoch as a possible back-up location for the Oilers. The Mayor also wonders what impact the Katz Group’s PR offer to MLAs will have on a request for $100-million in provincial government money.
Daryl Katz might need a few “No Men” around these arena planning meetings.
Also, wouldn’t it be funny, at least a little, if the City of Edmonton just said “You know what, enjoy Enoch.”
Come on, it would be hilarious.
Not hilarious: that “revitalizing downtown” almost always includes mega-projects.
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I threw in an update to Monday’s Headlines shortly after posting, but the update from the chief of the Edmonton Police Service yesterday was to wait for Wednesday.
But, any plan will need help from everyone. I’d also like to see more 24-hour (or at least 18 or-so hours) opportunities for libraries, school and after school programs, recreation, community centres, and things that can generally occupy kid and teen minds and time. That, more police on the streets (on the actual street, not another 3oo officers or anything), increased police, social worker, and mental health treatment in schools, greater resources for mental illness and addiction, and housing-first plans for the homeless and I think we’d be on track for a city everybody could agree on as safe.
But I fear we might just see more police hired.
Monday afternoon in south Mill Woods didn’t pass by quietly. A drive-by shooting, in the Knottwood portion of the neighbourhood, has put two young men in hospital. This is not a random shooting, and the victims aren’t sharing any details about who might have opened fire on them with police.
As an update to some talk we had yesterday on a crime blog, here’s Adam’s follow-up.
The man convicted of beating Edmonton bus driver Tom Bregg is looking to appeal his “dangerous offender” status. That status puts him in prison without a set release date. Though, one story says he’s filed that appeal and another says it’s just in the works. That means we’ll likely be waiting some time before this gets to the Alberta Court of Appeal.
It might take some time to wind through the courts, but it’s going to have to get to that before we know if Edmonton Police made the right call on releasing the name and photo of an HIV-positive 17-year-old, accused of not disclosing her status to sexual partners – which is a crime in Canada. But we will have to wait for the court case before knowing who is a victim of what and if there are changes to how police may act in a future case.
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It’s long, long overdue to try some late-night transit on Whyte Avenue, and Edmonton in general. A bit strange that Southgate becomes this cab drop-off. We should just run 6-12 bus routes through the overnight that allow people to be transported to other busy hubs and neighbourhoods. Will this just shift problems to Southgate where bus-loads of people try to get cabs? Why is the Edmonton Transit System so scared of all-night transit?
A fatal fire at an Old Strathcona senior’s home will push back others waiting to get into seniors housing.
Edmonton, and Canadian, soldiers continue to come home as the military mission in Afghanistan winds down.
The University of Alberta is offering a new certificate in aboriginal sport and recreation.
August 8 Edmonton Headlines
Well, that might be going a bit too far.
Hello Monday! And hello Edmonton.
Just to check: the Edmonton Oilers still play in Edmonton.
And the Katz Group wants to help with your PR, you know, if you need it or anything.
Forget the murder hype, we’re all safe. While that headline may be an oversimplification, it’s great to see at least one newsroom trying to challenge the scary, headline-grabbing homicide count. Now, if the same sentiment could seep off the editorial page and onto the front page – where we usually see the homicide and violent crime stories themselves – we’d really be onto a more balanced view of Edmonton.
The columns have come after Everybody in this city is armed?! was launched. So, keep up the pressure on newsrooms to dump the “If it bleeds, it leads” approach and talk to you like you know your own city. Which, we’re about to see in the next couple of stories, is still very much needed.
Stuff like saying “…rash of violent crimes in the city.” without including any stats or information on whether that’s true is what unnecessarily hurts the city’s image and leads to an ill-informed view of what’s going on and what may lead us to some solutions.
Or blaming crime on families with working parents and immigrants. That’s probably not helping any discussion on crime. Or football. Or whatever this iNews880 blog is about.
Balance those crime statements!
We should hear more on crime from the police chief today. (Update: He’s working on things.)
It’s Monday and we’re just getting this week going. More Edmonton news after the jump. (Which makes less sense if you’re reading this as a result of a direct link.) (more…)
August 5 Edmonton Headlines
Welcome to the end of our short August week, Edmonton.
Edmonton’s playing major catch-up on infrastructure – our roads, public buildings, LRT, etc… – some might even say we’ve got an infrasturcture debt that’s way past due. That’s an important factor to remember when talking about pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into a downtown arena, without any clear plans on all of the exciting, truly revitazling buildings and infrastructure that is supposed to go around the arena.
And, even then, it might not be the best way to spend all that money. Other cities don’t seem to be getting ahead after dumping money into a new arena or stadium. Is a downtown arena truly going to change our city, or is Edmonton simply following the lure of big promises and the fear of upsetting a fan base?
Speaking of the fan base…sounds like the Oilers would look for close-to-home options if the downtown arena plans fell through.
Good for iNews/CHED for trying to balance a story about how newsrooms should try and tell a more honest, full story about life in Edmonton and drop the “If it bleeds it leads.” approach. Wait, no, I take that back. They “balanced” it with a story full of sensational quotes that says nothing about whether crime reporting is accurate.
They did not try to counter the claims that our homicide rate is “unacceptable” and our city unsafe. Probably because there’s nothing as quotable in that. (More on this story below, in the PC leadership race.) Here’s your balance: crime is dropping in Edmonton, and across Canada, and Edmonton is experiencing a 2011 jump in homicides for unclear reasons.
That doesn’t take anything away from the victims of crime and their families. It might even help catalyze people into more action on crime prevention if crime stories made up a more representative portion of news coverage. Right now it’s so prevalent you’d think very little else goes on. That is indeed the perception that makes it into newscasts and newspapers outside of Edmonton.
It’s nice to see a Journal columnist saying we’re safe in Edmonton. That, however, doesn’t make the front page as homicides routinely do.
We should hear from the chief of the Edmonton Police Service next week with some new plans and approaches to crime in Edmonton.
I really thought I could end the week with a little less on crime reporting. Especially with downtown arena in the Headlines. Shows what I know. (more…)
August 3 Edmonton Headlines
Some days you really aren't getting anywhere.
Good Wednesday to you, Edmonton. Yes, it’s already the middle of the week.
We were talking yesterday, and last week, and when annual crime statistics came out, about context in crime stories. Today there’s a story about a suspicious death investigation at a senior’s home fire in Old Strathcona. Some of the news stories are hinting at the fact police are looking at a suicide as the centre of the crime, which involves another’s death. This CBC story is a little more open about it.
While that wouldn’t make it anymore pleasant – it’s terrible to see people die and others forced out of their home by a fire – this little bit of context as to what might have happened helps people outside of the story know they’re safe. It’s that fear of random crime which is truly scary. And I think that’s where a lot of “tough on crime” talk comes from. Let’s put the context in EVERY crime story, not just as a smaller add-on somewhere else in the newspaper or newscast.
Unfortunately, in a lot of crime stories, without much detail as to what happened you can be left with a feeling that you’re in danger just being in Edmonton, or a certain neighbourhood. It shows how reporting right now (RIGHT NOW!) is fraught with the chances of fearmongering. Police have to be forthcoming with details, and they aren’t always. Sometimes, police are still investigating as newsrooms are working on their second, third, umpteenth version of the story.
We’re more likely to get details, information, and context, at a court case. But, by that point, people usually remember the first story or two about a crime as chosen by newsrooms (make no mistake, there’s no objectivity about selecting one crime over the dozens that happen each day). And, since not every newsroom has a constant presence at the courts, the initial stories usually get more play.
Working on a breaking news story for a day or more might be the best way newsrooms can get out information in a timely manner and avoid leaving any danger up to the imagination. It also means they have time to seek out good, reliable sources of information, challenge people who only seem to be trying to get into the news for a quote, be more careful with sidebar and spin-off stories, and truly be a part of the community they want to serve.
You don’t go around trying to frighten your friends and neighbours, nor would they talk to you a whole lot if you were vague about everything. Why do we allow our news coverage to be vague?
It’s time for you and me to ask newsrooms for a better level of crime coverage. We don’t need them to slap together a story, we need them to dig in and tell us why the stories are important, why the story matters, who and what is shaping our city. We need to demand a better discussion about crime in Edmonton.
Now, let’s see what’s happening in the rest of a pretty safe Edmonton. 
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Short Week Headlines
Click for more terrible front pages.
Good morning, Edmonton.
While we’re not trying to doom and gloom you, we are going to begin with homicides; stories that are most prevalent in Edmonton news right now.
Overall, Edmonton’s got 33 homicides on record in 2011. That’s the most of any city in Canada. Though, with stories like this and this from the Edmonton Sun you’d think we lived in a war zone. I doubt a death penalty would reduce one year’s higher than usual homicide rate. Let’s remember – ALL newsrooms - that our crime rate is down,down, down.
Also, I think I’ve mentioned this before in Headlines, but the Sun’s staffers should know that the highest penalty for murder in Canada is life in prison with no chance at parole for 25 years. Not 25 years and you’re out. We can also send people away as “dangerous offenders” in Canada, which means they do not have a release date at all. These tiny bits of information, usually added at the end of a story or an opinion piece, do have an impact on how people perceive crime and criminals.
After this weekend’s (and today’s) stories I am now officially pleading with Edmonton newsrooms to stop talking to criminologist Bill Pitt. “Everybody in this city is armed” sounds like the worst crime research ever.
There are connections to Edmonton’s Somali community within our high homicide rate, and within the homicide rate for the last number of years. Police continue to try and work with members of the community to solve the many murders and killings within this population. Though, the crimes reach right across Canada inside of Somali gangs. There are, of course, many Somali-Edmontonians willing to help police, and who want to see the city operate in a peaceful manner.
Detectives, and extra Edmonton Police officers brought in to help solve homicides, are busy. An excellent point made in this story that paramedics and medical staff likely help keep the homicide number down.
While police try to solve as many killings as they can, prevention of crime is going to be the key to keeping homicide rates down on a more permanent basis.
We might have started things off with homicide, though I do hope you don’t think I’ve switched to a “If it bleeds, it leads” approach with the Headlines. I mean, I don’t want to scare anyone into thinking Edmonton has a murder around every corner. It doesn’t.
Hopefully, by compiling a lot of the weekend stories (good ones, interesting ones, ones the Edmonton Sun had) we can have a fuller conversation about what’s going on in our city, and see the work of police, community groups, and individuals to bring killers to justice and keep things as safe as possible.
Now, just for criminologist Bill Pitt, let’s put away all of our knives and continue with the day’s stories. (more…)
July 28 Edmonton Headlines
That bird loves his fast food and takeaways.
You know, we should probably see if there’s anything on the downtown arena to start things off today. Oh, would you look at that!
With outgoing premier Ed Stelmach talking about increasing a municipal fund to help put in $100-million into the downtown arena, some councillors say any extra infrastructure money should go to other items. And all of Stelmach’s potential replacements don’t like the corner he’s painting them into on the way out of office.
The Hazeldean neighbourhood may be staring up at a cellphone tower soon. Not a lot of information in this column from Rogers about why it couldn’t go into the more industrial area on 99 Street.
Resident associations are starting to become a big deal in Edmonton (even if the Terwillegar Towne owners owe $75,000 to their association) and that changes how neighbourhoods look and operate.
Does anyone else see a kind of ghost octopus in the drawing of Capital Boulevard plans? Just me? Well, the rest of it looks nice.
Ghost octopus free from here on out, I promise. (more…)
July 27 Edmonton Headlines
Good morning, Edmonton, and welcome to the middle of the week.
So, the Premier is considering boosting a municipal fund to help Edmonton pay for a downtown arena. Man, we could use that money to keep building our LRT system too.
But, I guess, since Ed Stelmach enjoyed the mess Ralph Klein left him he wants to leave a little something for his replacement. All of the candidates to be Progressive Conservative premier have said they won’t help fund the downtown arena. Even though this isn’t necessarily direct funding, but Stelmach openly tying the idea of an increase to the Municipal Sustainability Initiative to the Mayor’s request for arena money, he puts the new premier into a tough position.
For Calgary, however, it bodes well for their looming request for arena money.
Oh, and while the outgoing premier seems all-too-ready to help pay for a downtown arena, students in Morinville are without promised temporary classrooms in September. Maybe if they could play hockey really well…
A man who attacked city bus driver Tom Bregg is going to prison. And he does not have a release date. The fact the attacker did not have the worst record of violent offences says that transit drivers deserve a higher level of respect and protection.
Spruce Avenue School’s got an innovative summer program to keep kids caught up on their lessons, have something to do in the summer, and enjoy some play time.
Habitat for Humanity has its largest ever Edmonton-area donation: $1-million.
It’s going to cost you an extra $5 to fly out of the Edmonton International Airport. Have we built high-speed rail yet?
You’d think that’d be lots of news. But there’s lots more. (more…)
Monday Headlines
It's a double rainbow dudes. (Photo: Deja Springfield)
Welcome to a new week, a sunnier week, Edmonton.
So, last week there was a bit in the Progressive Conservative leadership debate about not funding a new downtown arena in Edmonton. Now the wording is getting a little, let us say, tricky.
Now, for the second time in a week, a columnist who was in favour of a downtown arena is having second thoughts.
Chinatown is again at the centre of debate and discussion around the downtown LRT connnector.
There’s been a lot of talk about historic and heritage buildings in the news recently. Another way we could lose these great old gems is the same way we can lose any building; fire.
This is one of the worst summers for mosquitoes in recent memory, and Mike Jenkins is among those at the head of the battle against the bug.
Edmonton newsrooms need a new crime expert. The one always cited, Bill Pitt, doesn’t believe the crime rate is going down. I haven’t seen any studies or figures he might have to back that up though.
There was some sort of car race this weekend. I’ll find out what kind after the jump. (more…)
July 22 Edmonton Headlines
Welcome to a rainy Friday, Edmonton.
A bunch of new apartments to be built in Edmonton, and the region, will include homes available for less than market value.
The Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership candidates began a tour of debates last night in Vermilion. Nothing crazy or outlandish happened, so take a peek through the story to start getting a sense of the people that would be premier.
Strange that I would mention that here, right off the top, where I usually have Edmonton news. Maybe there’s something in this story about the downtown arena and its snowball’s chances of provincial money. Speaking of paying for fancy things…
Police are trying to work with the Somali community to solve all of the homicides that population has suffered in recent years, including four this year.
Two Edmonton Police officers are under investigation after drunk driving charges were dismissed because a suspect was badly beaten during the arrest and police testimony left the judge feeling like there was a “circle of silence” from the arresting officers.
It’s the Indy weekend (I’m sure that you didn’t need a reminder), but what does the race say to the world about Edmonton? Does it say anything at all?
A man with Edmonton connections, and alleged tied to war crimes, is among the most wanted immigration fugitives in Canada.
Edmonton author Gloria Sawai – an award-winning author – has died.
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Are Ottawa and Alberta on the same page when it comes to environmental monitoring, particularly of the oil industry? Yes? Yes. Maybe?
As the newest Alberta oil spill is being cleaned up, National Geographic is setting its sites on pipelines that will run from the capital region to the B.C. coast. (I got the link to the National Geographic story after seeing a story in the Journal.)
A legal case about Metis and Status Indian registration, and living on a Metis settlement, went all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. Basically, you can only register for benefits once.
All of this rain has meant a rise in river and lake levels across Alberta.
A Sherwood Park man is fighting hundreds of millions of dollars in fraud allegations. Here’s a quote that stood out to me: “…his latest business was legal.”
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As mentioned yesterday, crime is down. In Edmonton. In Alberta. In Canada (there are some crimes that saw an increase last year though, but overall things are getting better). So, I’m sure you’re glad the federal Conservative government is getting tough on crime.
And I’m sure tonight’s news will have lotsa crime stories. But crime is down.
Hold on a second…I know my soapbox is around here somewhere…Ah, here it is.
This story and at least one more has begun with lines like “You might not believe it…” but crime stories in the news is THE reason people wouldn’t believe it. So, aren’t you saying you’re getting it wrong?
Here’s a better opening: “It might contradict everything we put in the news every day, but crime is continually dropping…”
This is the biggest reason I don’t link out to a lot of crime stories. They lack context. Homicides are about the only story that include references to how many have happened overall, if that’s up or down for this time of year, or over a period of years. That doesn’t happen with sex crimes, robberies, or many other crimes. That lack of context is what leaves people with a feeling things aren’t safe.
That’s not to say everything is perfect and I’d feel perfectly happy counting stacks of money out on every street corner or wandering around every neighbourhood at 3am, but without context people in charge – in neighbourhoods, in community groups, in government, in policing – don’t get to focus on real problems and prevention because they’re reacting to front pages and 6 o’clock news reports.
Jumps off soapbox.
Let’s end on an up-note: dinosaurs and celebrities!
July 21 Northlands Headlines
Not yet.
Good morning, Edmonton. You know a day with downtown arena stories is going to be a busy day. So, dig in.
Among the news and notes from City administration’s answers to Councillor Ed Gibbons:
- Daryl Katz’s $100-million for the arena is more like $80 or $90-million, with the rest covering management over decades
- The City (you and me) will likely have to put up the money, probably borrowed, to cover the $125-million that will eventually be paid back through a ticket tax (that’s you again, if you go to anything at the arena)
- Katz Group and Oilers financials are yet to be fully opened up to City Council
- There’s nothing binding Daryl Katz to spend $100-million in development around the arena
- A community rink would be fully paid for by the City (why don’t we just build a couple of community rinks on the parking lot and call it a day?)
- The arena will cost more than $450-million when you factor in “soft costs” like design, street lights, LRT, transit, that community rink, sewers, and a bunch of other stuff I’m not smart enough to think of.
Northlands isn’t backing down. The non-profit agency wants to keep running Rexall Place if there’s a downtown arena. That likely doesn’t bode well for you and I making back any of the tax money council wants to throw into the downtown arena. There could be too much competition for arena events in a city Edmonton’s size.
On Northlands: They wanted council approval of $770,000 for new seats at Rexall Place. They got that. It’s money already in the Northlands budget, but anything over $750,000 needs a look by city council.
There were questions about Northlands’ finances (sure, councillors, I just happened to bring our audited statements with us to a meeting for a seat rubber-stamp…) and I suspect councillors will have an easier time to see the money details of Northlands than the Katz Group. Also, with council members sitting on the Northlands board, at least a few folks in City Hall yesterday should know how the non-profit is doing with cash.
Even a downtown arena fan thinks Daryl Katz could be the guy making all the wrong moves, and asking for too much money, on the deal.
Whew. That’s a lot of Northlands and arena talk. How about we shift gears for the rest of today’s Headlines? (more…)
July 20 Edmonton Headlines
It’s a big day at City Hall. There’s a new downtown arena report before council, with a few more details about how much more it’s going to cost to build a replacement for Rexall Place and that Northlands won’t sign a non-compete clause.
More information on what’s happening today, with answers to Councillor Ed Gibbons’ questions, here at this PDF. Some of the (non)answers, even if you’re in favour of the downtown arena, might make you groan.
Councillors will also discuss whether to give Northlands a little more than $700,000 to fix seats in Rexall Place.
The Way We Green, the City’s 30-year environmental policy is also up for debate. I don’t see why it wouldn’t pass. A few developers and pesticide-users were complaining about losing money, but Edmonton needs to have a document that helps shape our environmental policies – and we should have such policies underlying big decisions and projects.
Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, man of the people Kerry Diotte wants to talk about mosquitoes.
Don’t forget about the war on weeds. Councillor Bryan Anderson is trying to lead that for the City of Edmonton.
Another day, another historic building in the news.
Five years after a man died following a police chase, the fatality inquiry report carries a recommendation for emergency CPR training for officers.
Hey kid. Psst. Hey kid. You want some candy?
Alberta Hospital is trying to find a missing patient, and an escaped patient.
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We’re about a third through a ten-year plan to end homelessness in Alberta. That should stay in place for the new premier, and poverty has to become part of the plan.
Big oilsands equipment won’t be making its way to Alberta through Montana right now. I like that the Montana Department of Transportation took the time to have Imperial Oil fill out an environmental assessment. That shows dedication to preserving the environment.
Meanwhile…on the side of the border…China is making its moves to get into the oilsands game…Oh, and energy ministers want to find ways to send more oil and gas to places other than the U.S.
The Premiers are going to talk about the economy.
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Eight Edmonton restaurants, and one in St. Albert, made it into “Where to Eat in Canada.”
It’s Edmonton: The Musical, at the Avenue Theatre.
July 19 Edmonton Headlines
No crazy-ass storms this morning. So, that’s a good thing.
The cost of a new downtown arena will be more than the $450-million pricetag currently tossed about. Of course, roads, sewers, LRT and transit connections (and lots of other stuff the City will have to build) were always going to be needed, it’s just more official now in a report back to Councillor Ed Gibbons. And with Northlands not ready to stop booking concerts and events things could get messy (and even more expensive). Maybe things will get so complicated billionaire Oilers owner Daryl Katz will just build the arena himself.
What? It’s possible…
I’m not sure I buy the headline on this story that members of Edmonton’s Somali community are fleeing the city but it is a group that’s seeing constant homicides, mostly due to drug and gang connections of younger Somali men.
There won’t be a Weekend to End Breast Cancer in Edmonton. Also, how did it cost $2.1-million to feed under 800 people, staff medical tents and run a website. Did the website cost $1.2-million?
Edmonton’s Ronald McDonald House is looking to expand. Again.
A giant apartment fire last week started because of bed bug extermination.
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Canada’s energy ministers are meeting in Alberta, talking about a national energy plan. Oh, oil companies are sponsoring a big portion of the conference, so I’m sure the environment will be on that agenda somewhere.
Speaking of energy companies running the show…the Premier’s promise to keep bitumen upgrading jobs in Alberta meant nothing…
It was so hot in Alberta yesterday…that we set a new power record.
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West Edmonton Mall’s got some renovations going on, and will be adding more U.S. stores.
If we get out of this rainy weather, there’s a new place for you to go swimming in the river valley.
July 18 Edmonton Headlines
It was all bright lights and stormy skies and then, boom, blue sky and sun.
Good morning, Edmonton. Were you awake early enough to catch that freaky-sky storm this morning?
The construction on 99 Street is a mess. Neighbours wanted to be consulted. Urban planning wasn’t so much a part of the project as basic transportation fixes. (A bias note: I’m on the Strathcona Centre Community League and we are also not pleased about how the City of Edmonton handled any of this.) It’s a disappointment when considering that major projects such as the 99 Street and Scona Road work will not be revisited for decades.
Speaking of poor planning…sounds like councillors forgot about getting the City to lead development in the northeast. It’s an important piece of Edmonton’s land plans, since it could be key agricultural land for years to come.
Northlands doesn’t want to sign a non-compete clause over the downtown arena. Shocking. So, neither the provincial nor federal governments want to put in $100-million for a new Edmonton arena, and Northlands doesn’t want to give up Rexall Place. This could not be going better.
Edmonton’s 29th homicide of the year is the fourth of a Somali man.
Police, medical examiners, and Crown prosecutors are all busy with Edmonton’s murders and killings this year.
Speaking of medical examiners…the outgoing Chief Medical Examiner is Graeme Dowling…
The Edmonton Police Service is looking at getting new cars. Mostly because Ford isn’t going to make Crown Victorias anymore and that’s what currently makes up the cruiser fleet.
Feels like there are a lot of missing persons cases this summer…and social media is a big part of the latest…
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More than half of the people who come to Canada each year don’t get to stay. Alberta’s Employment and Immigration Minister wants to see more temporary foreign workers actually stay here as immigrants (and bring their families).
Oil and gas drilling stimulus might have been a terrible idea. But it will take an audit of the government programs to really figure it out.
If the governing Tories can get out of deficit (basically, if oil and gas prices rise more) they’ll be looking to increase travel budgets.
On healthcare…more nurses are being hired!
Health Link made a sexy mistake. Also, people still use phone books.
Slave Lake fire victims are getting some Alberta government-built temporary homes.
Six candidates came up with $40,000 and are running to be the next Premier of Alberta.
On education…the candidates are coming out swinging against, well, against their own governing party. It’s so weird when one party has been in power so long and leadership candidates have to differentiate themselves from themselves.
In other political news, the Alberta Party is setting up headquarters on Alberta Avenue. That seems very fitting.
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And St. Albert is hosting the Alberta Indigineous Games this week.
#MackAttack Headlines
Happy Twitter Birthday to Edmonton’s first tweeter, Mack Male! Five years I go I wasn’t even on Facebook.
Now on with the news!
We were talking yesterday about a push to lock up your car.
All that rain slowed down road construction. Thanks a lot, rain.
My guess is that plan B to find $100-million for the downtown arena involves a whole lot of busking by Mayor Mandel. Meanwhile…at our current arena…new seats may or may not happen…
David Staples makes a good point in his latest column in favour of government money for a downtown arena. The Alberta government shouldn’t put so much money into horse racing. (I’m pretty sure that was his point, anyway.)
Ethan Allen is moving downtown. Wait. After a downtown arena is built, right?
No more downtown arena after the jump. I promise. (more…)
July 14 Edmonton Headlines
It’s a busy news day, with plenty of big stories in Edmonton, so let’s get this going.
Developers don’t like “The Way We Green” – the City of Edmonton’s environmental plan. Suburban development would actually carry its full cost? We’d be more like San Francisco? Geez, why WOULDN’T we do this?!
Over in Alberta Venture, Preston Manning is arguing that business needs to think more about the environment.
The Premier (still Ed Stelmach at this time) says the provincial government won’t be putting direct money into Edmonton’s downtown arena. There might be some infrastructure money though. I would take that to mean helping with LRT, sewers, and roads. If Gary Mar becomes the next Progressive Conservative there also won’t be money for the arena’s construction. And the federal government already turned down the opportunity to put $100-million into a new home for the Oilers.
Speaking of starchitecture…the Bank of Montreal building at Jasper and 101 Street is indeed going to be demolished. The City’s planning department issued demolition permits to the new owners, which caught the heritage department off-guard. A campaign sprung up to save the 48-year-old building, but it will soon be a parkade. Yes, a parkade.
If the building had been 50-years-old it could have been protected as historic. So, the City probably needs to better communicate between departments and loosen the 50-year rule. (They also need to toughen up the penalties for owners who let buildings waste away.) If not, we will become a temporary city which continually replaces anything of note or worth. (Probably with more of those great beige buildings we have so many of downtown.)
Do we have to make everyone in the planning department watch our “history” episode to learn that old stuff can be cool?
Speaking of knocking down buildings…
Alright, more news coming right up. (Told you there was lots today.) (more…)
