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…)
No Longer Steady Headlines
In weather times like these you need to be prepared for anything. (Not pictured: My shotgun for shooting zombies.)
Edmonton, if you had only one story to talk about today what would it be?
Uh huh.
Oh, good choice.
Right.
OK.
Got it.
Alright, alright!
Happy birthday, Wayne Gretzky.
I hope you spend it solving crimes with Michael Jordan and Bo Jackson. Jennifer Heil would be a good addition to the ProStars.
Oh, you meant the Premier retiring. Yeah, that’s huge. (more…)
All Saints Headlines
Good November 1st to you, Edmonton. I trust you are full of candy today.
The governing Progressive Conservatives met this weekend, for their annual party general meeting.
Premier Ed was rarin’ to go. He even hyped up the election rhetoric. But it wasn’t all bluster and self-congratulations.
There were party resolutions to be passed. Among those resolutions were a pro-small airport item and one for airport authorities. We’re told they have nothing to do with Edmonton’s City Centre Airport. My, what coincidental timing.
Oh, and the Tories are really keen on making sure Alberta’s image gets cleaned up.
from the Edmonton Journal:
It pains my heart to needlessly tie up an emergency room bed (It’s always going to be about more staff, and more ways family doctors can get you through the system. It’s not just about beds.)
Police cost comparison in Edmonton, Calgary ‘apples and oranges’
‘No woman wants to grow up to be a prostitute’
Appointment of some trustees under study (Should school boards have appointed members who represent communities not being elected?)
Diving deep to save a pool (Scona Pool is finding new friends everywhere.)
Capital Power earns $7M in third quarter
from the Calgary Herald: Alberta dilutes wetland defence (Not all of the wetlands destroyed by oil and gas have to be replaced, right? Can’t we just have some research done about wetlands instead? Meanwhile…the dead ducks have become zombie ducks, in a new protest…)
from the Edmonton Sun:
Ignoring PTSD our military’s shame
Local man heroic in burning vehicle rescue
Cost of Oilers game rises (But we’re not the most expensive city to watch live hockey in.)
from Metro Edmonton:
Leduc gets direct bus line (Today was the first day for the C-line, between the Edmonton International Airport and Century Park LRT station.)
We would be wise not to ignore Jasper Avenue (As the city-wide debate on a downtown arena begins, let’s not forget about our “signature” street.)
from The Canadian Press:
Provincial access-to-info offices see big backlogs (It’s not something that makes headlines often, but it’s an important part of our government.)
from CBC Edmonton:
Internet fraudster lands in Edmonton prison
from Global Edmonton:
Amber Alert raises questions (Some of the alerts do. In this case, it’s the delay between abduction and issuing the alert that’s being questioned.)
And, somebody thinks we’re a pretty clean city.
What’s a new month without a dinosaur story?
Make your move!
This is probably the only time anyone will ever mention David Swann, Brian Mason AND Carson Daly in the same breath. And I’m going somewhere with it. (Probably.)
It’s their time to make a move.
Don't stare directly into his eyes! Or you'll fall in love.
With all the chatter about Jay and Conan (I’m with Coco, by the way), and the renewed interest in all late night talk shows, Carson Daly is getting zinged left and right. I bet he’s being talked about as much, or more, than in his TRL days. Make your move Carson. It’s time to capitalize on your current name-recoginition before NBC just dumps your show (or puts you on at 2am), and secure your retirement with a sweet deal somewhere else.
Now, for our Alberta politicians I’d also say it’s time to make a big move. Though, they don’t have near the current name-recognition of doe-eyed Carson.
With the governing Tories taking a beating from all sides, the Wildrose Alliance is striding up the right-side of the policical spectrum to one elected member and two crossover MLAs. Plus, they’re all over the news and sinking into the consciousness of Albertans.
Why isn't Rick Mercer hanging out with this guy at WEM?
So…it’s time for the centre-left guys to do something big. I know people have told you to join forces, I know people have told you to work together, or start a new party for progressives, and those who are socially liberal and fiscally conservative. I’m telling you this is your one real chance.
Hey, would you look at that. Someone has already gone out and started a party which is looking for enough signatures to become the real deal. If the NDP and Liberals could just suck up their egos for about a minute they might see that they aren’t being talked about at all these days.
At all.
Never surrender! Never win many seats!
And since they haven’t been able to do much with their current parties, and since Alberta feels like a two-party kind of parliamentary democracy, I think the only chance real centre-left, post-partisans have is something new.
Now is also the time because you’ve got a few years until the next election so you’ve got time for the Tories and Wildrose to split the partisan, socially conservative side of things even more, leaving a nice big swath of voters looking elsewhere. And maybe all this new action will get even more people out to vote.
Come on Carson, David and Brian, make a big move.
p.s. If you make a move to a new party, be sure to pay off your current party debts first.
