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. 
(more…)
Heritage Weekend
This is it Edmonton, the long weekend we’ve been waiting for all month. (I said long weekend, not log.)
It’s also one of those peaks of festivals that mark our summer. Here’s what I mean:
Heritage Festival (It is the Heritage Day weekend… Also, you can’t drive your car to Hawrelak for all of the fun.)
DRAW (drawing. obvs.)
Capital Ex (Woot!)
Taste of Edmonton (Deep fried deliciousness – alright, mostly deep fried.)
Food Day Canada, where restaurants create entirely Canadian-sourced meals (with Culina Mill Creek, Culina Muttart, Culina Highlands – now the Highlands Kitchen, D’Lish, The Marc, )
Yeah!
In sports…the Eskimos are home tonight to the Toronto Argonauts and the Capitals play host to the Lake County Fielders. The Fielders are having all kinds of off-field troubles this season.
On a more serious note, there will be a vigil for a Fort McMurray woman missing for the last year.
Wicked continues to play at the Jube.
Edmonton comedian Jon Mick records a live comedy album, at Wunderbar. You can not only enjoy a night of fine Edmonton comedy (and comedians) but listen for your laughter on his recording. And if you want you can help him pay for the album by throwing him a few bucks. Pretty solid night.
In music, it’s a pretty solid weekend. Sister Gray is playing New City Legion tonight with Cygents, The Frolics, and Very Dangerous Animals…Luke Doucet and the White Falcon is with Michael Rault, at the Starlite Room…Capital Ex has plenty of music, including Ace of Bass Sunday night…Taste of Edmonton also has lots of live music…
On Saturday, there are two great afternoon shows on Whyte Avenue, with Tyler Butler and F&M at the Black Dog for Hair of the Dog, and The Provincial Archive at The Empress with Montreal’s Charlotte Cornfield…
Saturday night…Toy Singers have a farewell show, with Old Uglians Jessica Jalbert, Liam Trimble, and Sugarglider at the Haven Social Club…across the city, The ARTery’s got the Beehive Bonanza Mini Market and Show, with Rocktimus Crime, Service:Fair, and Jom Comyn…
Sunday night sees a long weekend showcase at the Pawn Shop, with Matt Machete ready to blow things up…On the holiday Monday, Jeff Morris kicks off his tour at the Black Dog…
Now, to get this party started, let me present to you the new album from our pals The Fight. (The whole album is embedded here, just flip through the tracks. Oh, and buy it if you dig it.)
See you Tuesday!
p.s. Speaking of The Fight, Jom Comyn, Service:Fair, Jessica Jalbert, Liam Trimble, The Provincial Archive, Tyler Butler, and Sugarglider, this Sunday night is likely the last time you’ll be able to catch the edmontonian presents on ShawTV (channel 10 on Shaw cable), so tune in at 9pm and be able to tell your space-grandkids you saw it on an actual television set.
June 28 Edmonton Headlines
Hazy enough for ya?
Actually, the forest fire haze that drifted into Edmonton at the end of the weekend prompted an air quality advisory from Alberta Health Services.
A day after we heard Edmonton Transit wouldn’t be putting safety shields into buses, the man behind one of the more brutal attacks on a bus driver in recent years was in court.
You wanted more construction on streets this summer, right? Done. Speaking of summer road construction…slow down.
23,000 Edmontonians want a racism-free Edmonton. I’m sure it’s a lot more, but that’s how many signed a petition.
A survivor of a car dealership shooting is looking at his own life differently after the violent day.
The big story for newsrooms in Edmonton today is that of a young father heading to prison for shaking and choking his baby girl. I went with the Journal’s version in that link a few words back because they had a large feature on the case before sentencing, which included information on a campaign to stop parents from reacting in anger to crying babies and shaking them.
Before you head out to this summer’s Heritage Festival, download the app. It will be perfect for planning which acts to catch. And which foods to try.
The best in Edmonton theatre are all right here.
*****
Alberta is going to be one of the first places around to deregulate bus service. While I doubt this will affect us here in the city,the fear is that smaller towns and cities won’t be seeing Greyhound anytime soon.
*****
HMV Canada sold for what seems like a pittance. Just $3.2-million. I mean, a picture of Billy the Kid sold for more than half that. I blame the kids and their darn downloading. Speaking of kids on the Internet…the hacking is over!
A real taste of Edmonton
As I’ve been mentioning again and again, this weekend was my first trip down to Hawrelak Park for the Heritage Festival.
A trip worth taking.
Since I didn’t want to crack the ETS code of when the shuttles left and how frequently they were leaving I decided to bike down to Hawrelak. (more…)
Long weekend = One more day of fun
It’s the Heritage Day long weekend, Edmonton, so get out there and soak in all that summer.
Over the next four days (counting Friday night) there’s a lot to do in Edmonton.
Capital Ex continues at Northlands. A Taste of Edmonton is still at Churchill Square. (Both run until Sunday.)
And, of course, Heritage Day means Hawrelak Park becomes the Heritage Festival. It’s the 35th go-round for Heritage Fest, with more than 60 countries and ethnicities represented. There will be culture and food, all three days of the weekend, in the park. Plan your adventures with the map.
The winless Eskimos play tonight. Meh.
Friday night is a really good music night. Juliette Lewis is playing the Starlite Room, Metric (and Hot Hot Heat) are at Capital Ex, Fred Eaglesmith is in Stony Plain at the Blueberry Bluegrass and Country Music Festival, and there’s that little thing called the Big Valley Jamboree over in Camrose.
On Sunday, The Old Wives are playing at Lyve on Whyte and Audio/Rocketry is at the PawnShop.
And Capital Ex has more music at the Telus Stage Saturday and Sunday. Plus, The Be Arthurs can be found at Centre Stage.
There are dinosaurs!!
ShareEdmonton had an event that really caught my eye. (What can I say, I have a soft spot for chess.) This weekend is the Edmonton Chess Festival. Checkmate.
I also keep forgetting to mention Saturday as a great farmers’ market day. You’ve got the year-round Old Strathcona version, or summer’s City Market Downtown.
It’s the end of the month, so you can check Gregg’s July movie preview and his new look at the August releases, if you’re hitting the movie theatre.
Don’t tire yourself out this weekend, since Folk Fest starts Wednesday night, and the Fringe is on the horizon.
And, because I’m going to mention it all of the time, the edmontonian and Unknown Studio will be celebrating their first birthday(s) Monday, August 23.
Edmonton Headlines
It’s another busy Thursday, here in Edmonton news-land.
Plenty popping up on the Edmonton City Centre Airport, the Heritage Festival and Big Valley Jamboree are in the news before this weekend, mosquitoes are arriving, plus Vue asks a question about whether we should change our poet laureate.
And St. Albert baseball diamonds are burning up.
Dig in.
from the Edmonton Journal:
MLAs, Enbridge join fight for Edmonton airport (This comes as the airports authority prepares to shut down one of the runways. Hey, how did everyone miss all the months of debate, days of public hearings, and city council vote on the City Centre Airport LAST YEAR? Also, maybe Enbridge wants to keep its name out of headlines, you know, what with its devastating oil spill in Michigan and all.)
Edmonton airport upgrade 25% under budget (This would be at the Edmonton International Airport.)
A question of dollars … gadzillions of dollars (Arena, Indy, and more questions from Dan Barnes.)
Historic Edmonton church saved from demolition
Money transfer scam targeting seniors
Giant robot dinosaurs stalk boreal forest
This bad news: Meat Loaf cancels Edmonton gig can be offset with this good news: Mickey Rooney coming to Sherwood Park
from the Edmonton Sun:
Heritage Festival goes 100% green, say organizers
City’s cat crisis (People are tossing cats like trash.)
‘Hope on the horizon’ for MS sufferers
BVJ to text storm alerts (Learning from last year.)
Holiday demand pumps up gas prices
from 630CHED/iNews880:
“Mini me” mosquitos invade metro
from CBC Edmonton:
MLA lured by money to delay joining Wildrose (Although, to be fair, if he’s using his Independent research budget up before jumping ship, it makes sense. If.)
School construction to last into fall (It’s not like schools have a calendar on when they are in session or not.)
St. Alberta baseball association faces $20K bill (They only set their baseball diamonds on fire.)
from Global Edmonton:
from Vue Weekly:
Citizen powered (Campus and community radio stations, like our own CJSR, are going to get a few government-mandated bucks.)
Disappearing act (What did happen to that study on the oilsands and water resources?)
Changing of the guard (Should we dump the poet laureate for a songwriter laureate?)
from SEE Magazine:
Arena deal does not add up (And Fish Griwskowsky wants Katz and Co. to know, For the record, downtown is not dead yet.)
One more day until the long weekend!
Find something to do, already
Long weekend? Yes, please!
Long weekend!
Woooooooooo!
A note: The Great Divide Waterfall won’t be running this long weekend. We’ll get through this together. It’s unknown when it will be running again.
Alright, the big one this weekend is the Servus Heritage Festival. 34 years running and full of culture and tasty food, it’s all at Hawrelak Park. Here’s some transportation info.
Music-wise you’ve got The City Streets playing a “moving” show tonight at the Pawn Shop, and Blink 182 is tonight. The Moody Blues play Sunday, at the Winspear.
I’m going to try and rein in my excitement, but I do need to tell you about a show at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre. It’s because Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks stars…Peter Scolari! Let me repeat. Peter. Scolari. You’re welcome.
Latitude 53 has “Draw,” a marathon of, well, drawing.
The Edmonton Capitals are home this weekend, and for $5 a throw you can help them fight breast cancer and try to set a World Record for pitches thrown.
We told you a little while ago about The Laugh Shop opening a new location on Whyte Avenue. It happens Saturday night.
Don’t forget about farmers’ markets, improv, live music in pretty much every bar, new movies in theatre…and so on.
