Cinco de Headlines
Hey there, Edmonton, let’s do this news thing. I know you like it.
You’ve only got a few more days to let the City know what you think of The Way We Green. That’s the environmental plan for the next number of years.
The Edmonton Catholic School District may be facing tough budget decisions without a lot of money coming from the Alberta government, but it is looking at expanding its French immersion school.
While arson is down this year, so far, May 4 was declared “Arson Awareness Day,” in the hope of bringing more light to what is not in fact a victimless crime.
Edmonton Police have charged a man after three women alleged to have been sexually assaulted when heading to a home for a job interview. Even if a business is in a home, I think it’s probably still a good idea to meet people from the Internet in a public space.
The second annual Victims of Homicide Conference begins today in Edmonton.
Edmonton’s industrial real estate market is picking up steam.
The Valley Zoo begins a new chapter today, trying to re-brand when zoos sometimes feel like relics of a different place, a world where information about any animal is readily available at the click of a mouse. (The computer kind of mouse.)
If you take a buzz by the Kingsway area, you’ll notice construction on the LRT line to NAIT, and also on the new Indy racetrack.
Edmonton’s urban landscape could be improved by small things like a little more lighting here, more open space there, art on more walls.
*****
Alberta’s largest oil spill in a generation may be affecting people living in a nearby community.
Your health information will, one day soonish, be at your fingertips. Right now, the Alberta government has simply launched a website full of general health information. There’s also a new wait time website.
Alberta’s Workers Compensation Board is providing coverage for four more cancers for firefighters.
The workplace safety blitzes continue to turn up lots of violations, and next on the inspection list is places young people will be found in larger numbers over the summer months.
Partners are being sought to help the provincial government build up to $100-million in affordable housing.
We are more likely here, in Alberta, to default on our mortgage payments than anywhere else in Canada.
*****
There’s nothing wrong with admiring someone’s great pair of short-shorts, but let’s remember that they are actual people. And let’s remind the Badminton World Federation of that.
Edmonton Headlines of January 19
The City of Edmonton would like to remind you to clear a path for garbage collectors. Canada Post has a similar reminder about your mailbox. Atco and EPCOR want to get to your meters. Basically, move that snow!
The zoning has been approved for an arena and entertainment district on the north-edge of downtown Edmonton. Earlier this week City Council voted to have city administration start talking with the Katz Group about an arena deal. Now, neither of these approvals means the arena is a done deal.
But you have to wonder when something, that’s not a done deal, runs out of items to be approved.
Also, it’s good to see the remark about the Oilers not playing in Rexall Place beyond 2014 being discussed. It was a threat, and Councillor Don Iveson should be commended for calling it out. (Though it should be noted Iveson isn’t using the word threat. He’s calling it emotional blackmail.)
Rexall Place continues to be one of the busiest arenas in North America. That’s going to complicate all of this arena business. Especially when you consider Northlands has noted (not threatened exactly) to keep running our current arena if the group is cut out of the new arena by the Katz Group.
Enough about the downtown arena. There has to be something else in the news. Maybe something about snow… (more…)
Election events
Alright, so the election itself isn’t until Monday, and you’ve got no excuse not to vote so I’m hammering on the election.
Advance polls are open at City Hall today and tomorrow. You can also vote at polling stations in your actual ward Saturday. Find out where.
To celebrate all of this democracy you can Rock the Vote, Sunday, at the Pawn Shop. Sunday night’s lineup of local talent should show that Edmonton’s younger voters can get energized.
The Taboo Sex Show…naughty but nice…is back at Northlands. If you’re going, stop by The Traveling Tickle Trunk booth and say “Hi” to that great crew.
LitFest is here! That’s Edmonton’s non-fiction festival.
Saturday is the second annual Timeraiser. That’s where you bid on auction items with your volunteer hours.
If you like beer, and your kidneys, you should check out Sha-Bam, which is an event of beer, arts, and The Kidney Foundation of Canada – Northern Alberta chapter.
Wunderbar’s got a couple of good shows this weekend. Tonight it’s Warning to Avoid and The Mystery Ponies. Tomorrow night it’s The Party Martyrs. All good times.
If you’re in the mood for something bluesier, try Bombchan at The Common. That’s not to be confused with The Edmonton Commons. The Journal really hates it when you try to play shows in their lobby.
October is the scariest of months…as detailed in Gregg’s latest movie previews…But it also means Scarecrow Festivals, Howl-O-Wiener Roasts and the Boo at the Zoo. And it’s not even Hallowe’en weekend yet.
There’s also an Olde Time Fair at Churchill Square and Handmade Mafia at the Orange Hall.
And, since I really want to annoy you with talk of the election (Monday, October 18, vote, vote, vote) we’ll be doing a live show once the polls close.
So, at 8pm, curl up with your laptop, throw the Macbook on the bar for all to see, and let us entertain you for an hour or so, with one of Edmonton’s few live election night shows. More details to come…I’m just lazy…
Ghost Mayors …on City Services
A historical satire by actors who did little research, from the EdmontonPolitics.com team.
From garbage collection to policing, recreation to power generation, the City of Edmonton provides a lot to its residents. Our city’s former mayors sure have some thoughts on what could be done better. And what they’d rather just take care of without you sticking your nose into it.
In this forum:
Mayor Matthew (Mat) “Warden” McCauley – Edmonton’s first mayor
Mayor William J. McNamara – First mayor to defeat a sitting incumbent, in the city’s closest race (still the closest race to date)
Mayor William “Wild Bill” Hawrelak – 3 time mayor, twice had to leave office because of land deals, eventually died in office
After the jump you’ll find out what they think. Hopefully Fightin’ Joe Clarke doesn’t show up to settle the score with Mayor McNamara… (more…)
Fast, Football, Festivals, Free, and Fantastic
Longboarders are going to have to be brave to tackle the race through our river valley. Yikes!
As for our headline…when the alliteration shoe fits…
This weekend sees the end of another year of fringing. But, fret not, the 29th Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival lives on in our hearts.
Oh, and in these holdover plays.
Hope this smoke clears out because there are a few outdoor movies this weekend. Finding Nemo (another F!) is playing tonight at the Valley Zoo. (Oops! It was last night. Thanks for the heads up, Mike.)
Movies on the Square is back too, with Diary of a Wimpy Kid tonight, and Fantastic Mr. Fox Saturday night. Stony Plain has an outdoor movie too.
It’s Free Cookie Friday at Luzarra. Get over to Whyte Avenue and buy a coffee so you can get a cookie. That caffeine and sugar will only help you start the weekend better.
The tune-ups are done and the Prairie Football Conference is into the real stuff this weekend. The second-best team in the country, the Edmonton Wildcats, begin their season home to the Regina Thunder. Sunday at Clarke Park (beside Commonwealth Stadium).
The winless Edmonton Huskies also begin the regular season this weekend. They’ll take anything they can get after going 0-8 last season. They host the Calgary Colts Saturday night at Clarke.
This is actually quite a decent level of football if you can’t bear to watch the Eskimos embarrass themselves anymore. Tickets are also reasonably priced.
Another non-Eskimos option is the Edmonton Capitals. Tonight’s game is also chock full of diabetes info, courtesy of the Canadian Diabetes Association. (The Capitals are ALSO showing a movie outside, after their Saturday game. It’s The Rookie.)
DEDfest is back to scare the crap out of you, and generally make you squirm.
DEDfest may get you thinking about Hallowe’en, which may get you thinking about fall, which may get you thinking about farmers harvesting their crops, which leads me to mention the Corn Maze is open.
Let’s dip into the ShareEdmonton calendar for some fun.
Clearer air would also help the participants in the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival, happening at Louise McKinney Park.
As mentioned earlier this week, Saturday is the Canadian Derby at Northlands. It’ll be all fancy hats, fast horses and…bikini girls…
Hawrelak Park’s got the blues. Dun, dun, dun da, dun…The Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival…Dun, dun, dun da, dun…
Don’t forget you can always seek shelter from the smoke in a nice, cool movie theatre. Gregg can tell you what’s likely worth your money.
And on Monday, we’ll be celebrating our first year alongside another one-year-old, The Unknown Studio. Come on out to Wunderbar, throw us a toonie, enjoy some fine beer, and hear life-affirming passages from celebrity autobiographies. Party pants not required.
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While messing up the Finding Nemo showtime I also forgot to mention The ARTery’s kick-ass weekend. The Get Down is playing Friday night (there’s still time, it’s still good) and Saturday is an artists’ garage sale/pancake breakfast/bbq/block party. Told you it was kick-ass.
And away we go
Man, when Edmonton’s festival season is in full swing it is a happening place to be.
This weekend you’ve got your Folk Fest, your Animethon, CariWest, Fragapalooza, but it’s also Rock’n August in St. Albert and Monster Truck Madness south of the city.
Woo!
A couple of traffic notes about those festivals, watch for people congestion at the top of the hill into Gallagher Park for Folk Fest, and the CariWest parade happens Saturday, at noon, on Jasper Avenue.
The Eskimos begin the post-Macioacoa Machocha post-Maciocia era, and go for win number two in 2010, tonight against the Argos.
Slow Food Edmonton hosts its annual summer Beer and Boar BBQ this Sunday, at Alley Kat.
For the family, Fred Penner (I saw him at my music store, and coffee shop, one time in Winnipeg) and the Doodlebops will be at the Valley Zoo, Saturday. You could also party like it’s 1849, this weekend.
The Starlite is hosting Metal Fest this weekend. METAL! Friday and Saturday.
Hey, if metal’s just too heavy for you, but you want to see some live music Friday night, why not duck downstairs to Brixx, and check out The Mystery Ponies. They play with Dirty Picture Show and The Bridle Party.
Also in non-Folk or Metal music news, Christian Hansen and The Autistics play On The Rocks Sunday night. Bring your dancing shoes.
I still check ShareEdmonton, a lot, because it’s a great events resource. Now I know there’s a Handmade Mafia happening Saturday.
What else are you up to this weekend?
A movie at the zoo
I’m surprised Sally didn’t hear about this and isn’t live at the scene ready to provide you guys play-by-play of cute animals and Happy Feet.
Anyway, if you’re looking for something to do with the family tonight, the Valley Zoo is showing Happy Feet on a jumbo screen, at 8pm.
You can also just check out the zoo, starting at 6pm.
It’s very much a family event, with face painting and a petting zoo.
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.
What the bleep is going on?
I’ll tell you what’s going on!
Right after I tell you what I’ll be up to this weekend.
I’ll be at MediaCamp Edmonton tomorrow. It should be a good time.
Being a “camp” it’s going to be one of those un-conference thingys. That’s where the participants (me and 200 of my friends) pitch OUR ideas. There are no set sessions, no planned speakers. We will dictate what the day is about.
So, if the day is terrible it’s our own fault.
It’s about collaboration, basically. The room will be full of traditional media (newspaper, radio and TV folks, my old peeps), new media (bloggers, podcasters, online journalists, my new peeps) public and media relations (the corporate, organizational, and government “spin-doctors” and storytellers) and developers (people who know what the heck is actually inside our computers and how to use that to create new software, new forms of storytelling, new things).
It’s a free event, so if you fall into any of those categories you can come on down to the Shaw Conference Centre tomorrow.
By working together, for at least one day, we should be able to figure out some new ways to tell stories, new ways to use the Internet, mobile technologies, emerging tech, new software, and each other, to build better communities. My definition of a better community, here, is one that knows more about itself, more about what’s going on and how it all works
I’m also hoping to talk my way into some of that sweet Journal moola The Unknown Studio guys are always flashing around town.
You can follow our shenanigans through the Twitter hashtag #yegmediacamp. You should also be able to search”yegmediacamp” after Saturday, to find blog posts, photos and videos of what we talked about.
The Edmonton Journal will also be streaming the opening panel, live at 10am.
But, enough about me. Let’s talk about what you could get up to this weekend. (Unless you’re also going to MediaCamp. Then, you should come over and say “Hi.”)
Tanner Gordon is playing, and releasing a CD, tonight at NAIT’s Shaw Theatre.
You could always see a movie.
The Edmonton Symphony for kids has “Mozart, Boy Genius.”
The City of Edmonton has a couple of events. The Muttart Conservatory is holding its annual bedding plant sale. That should get you in the spring mood. And the Valley Zoo is celebrating mothers.
By the way, it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday.
The Edmonton Rush continue their first-ever playoff run. They’re in Washington for the National Lacrosse League Western Final. Follow the action at the Rush or NLL website.
Now, this feels a little light. Let’s see if ShareEdmonton can’t help us out.
Ah yes, before the big event next week you can help #YegHelp with a few bucks tonight. CityTV’s Ryan Jespersen (ask him about fantasy hockey) and his wife, Capital FM’s Kari Skelton will be doing the guest bartender thing over at Lux. Drop some money into the tip jar to help Royal Le Page’s Shelter Foundation. I went last year, but tonight I’ll be hanging with newsy and PR friends.
There’s the Women + Health Conference at the Radisson south.
The Twitter crowd will be singing Saturday night. Singing!
Sunday sees an important, and kind of cool, event at the Shaw. It’s Homeless Connect 4. This is when homeless people can get connected (see what I did there?) to services available. Plus, they can get a haircut and really simple stuff we would take for granted.
See ya!
March 12 Edmonton Headlines
It's like Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote on that dirty van. (Photo: Derjis)
Happy Friday to you, my little Edmonton.
As was widely, widely, widely expected, the Alberta government has backtracked on its royalty rate hike (though, they’ve sort of cut some slack over the last few years) and is trying to spur more oil and gas investment.
Guess what? If a company’s business is oil and gas I can pretty much guarantee they are going to be coming for your oil and gas. Especially since Alberta isn’t a dangerous, war-zone kind of place or a nationalized energy jurisdiction. Our resource eh…
I’ll just put this soapbox back in the closet and we can get on with things. There’s some opinion on this in the Journal and Sun links, below.
Oh, I should mention the big, breaking story today is happening in the west end. Stay tuned to Twitter for real-time updates on the shooting.
from the Edmonton Journal:
Cost of borrowing for City of Edmonton projects up to $46M
Edmonton mulls reserved LRT parking (I’ve about had enough of Edmonton’s newsrooms having city hall “mull” things. This is becoming overused.)
Calgary may share public transit money
Website under attack (Is Edmonton Stories a waste of your money?)
Will royalty cuts placate oilpatch?
Who’s driving the royalty bus?
Alberta economy trails national growth rate
Edmonton’s Union expands (Not an actual union, you union-busters.)
Satirical anti-grizzly campaign launched in Alberta (Who doesn’t want to throw chainsaws and ATVs at bears?)
Katz’s fortune slips: Forbes Magazine (How surreal must it be to lose $100-million and not even really have to change anything?)
from the Edmonton Sun:
Parents voice concernd over possible school closure
from Metro Edmonton:
Fighters bringing mayhem to city (This just makes me think of the movie Kickboxer. The first one, not its sub-par sequels.)
from 630CHED/iNews880:
Capital Region plan gets provincial approval (Now, let’s all just get along.)
Candle light vigil at the ‘Ledge
Time to test your smoke alarm (It’s Sparky!)
from CBC Edmonton:
Seniors protest MacEwan pool closure
from CTV Edmonton:
Baby Isaiah taken off life-support, passes away in Edmonton hospital (When I was putting together the headlines yesterday I saw that a court appearance about Isaiah’s life-support was canceled. Something told me his parents wouldn’t have stopped the fight without a big reason…)
The Valley Zoo has another death on its hands. This time it’s a dead addax (think Antelope) at the zoo. This is the second animal to pass this year. But since this one isn’t cute like a meerkat we don’t know if it even had a name.
Wow, today kind of had a bunch of depressing news. Sorry to be such a downer.
So, how about I try to lighten the mood with a little self-promotion.
Happy LunarNewYearValentine’sFamily Day
Before we go any further (do you love me, will you love me forever…) I just wanted to use this events-related moment to show you a couple of pictures of an event I saw at West Edmonton Mall last weekend. The Edmonton Table Hockey League was battling it out.
Let the tournament begin!
More difficult to score on than the Oilers.
Wow, this is looking to be one busy long weekend.
Sure, you’ve got all that stuff happening over in Vancouver, which will likely occupy some of your TV time but, hey, the weather isn’t the worst its been, it’s a long weekend and there’s lots happening in good old Edmonton.
In other good news, I’m getting some of these fun ideas from ShareEdmonton. You’ll especially want to hit up that website for all kinds of neighbourhood Family Day events happening all over Edmonton.
Let’s start with the most obvious, it’s Family Day on Monday. Not only does that mean an extra day to sleep in, it means more going on.
City Hall (and Churchill Square) and the Alberta Legislature will be open for events. City Hall’s event is part of the ongoing WinterLight festival. WinterLight is also doing something Saturday in Boyle Street Park.
As Sally wrote about earlier today, there’s a kid-friendly play at the Stanley Milner Library. You can catch it tonight, and there are two showings Saturday.
Maybe you want Family Day to be about looking into your family’s past. You can do that over at the Provincial Archives.
As for the Lunar New Year, you can check out the Year of the Tiger’s entrance at the Valley Zoo, Sunday, or in Chinatown. Firecrackers go off at 95 Street and 105 Avenue, Sunday afternoon. I’m sure there are smaller events around too, so check your local listings.
The Uptown Folk Club‘s having a WinterFest of their own. I bet there’ll be music.
Oh, if you’re looking for Valentine’s Day dinner, Mack and Sharon have some ideas. They’ve even peered into the menus and prices. Yes, things do get more expensive for this night out.
Speaking of Valentine’s Day, the Valley Zoo is also offering same-sex speed dating. I don’t know how else you could blow away Edmonton stereotypes than with the civic government hosting this. Bang.
There’s also two nights of “Animal Attractions” for any couple looking to take in the zoo at night.
Whatever you do, if you’re thinking about taking the LRT, remember that there are some service disruptions this weekend.
See you Tuesday, but I’ll bet we’ll all be tired from this exciting weekend!
RIP Muriel
I’ve got some sad news to pass along, Edmonton.
One of the Valley Zoo’s mainstays, in their own meerkat manor, is no longer with us. Muriel, The Meerkat has died. Rather, she was put down on January 6.
Muriel was 14, which is quite old for the feisty animals.
She actually lived most of her life in the zoo’s administration building (likely doing data entrey and working overtime on weekends) because she was being picked on by the other meerkats.
The City says if you’d like to honour Muriel you can make a donation to the Zoo’s Makira Conservation Fund c/o Edmonton Valley Zoo, P.O. Box 2359, Edmonton, T5J 2R7.
1995-2010 (Photo: CoE)
It’s FREE
This Sunday you can check out all kinds of City of Edmonton stuff for free.
Yes, free.
Now, we’re not talking about an Oilers game, or anything that costs an arm and a leg to see, but free is free.
Go here. It will be free. And possibly fun.
Some of the highlights include free swims at Bonnie Doon, Eastglen, Hardisty, Jasper Place, Kinsmen, Londonderry, Mill Wood, O’Leary and Peter Hemingway fitness, leisure and sports centres…and free skating at Glengarry, Kinsmen, Londonderry and Mill Woods (A) arenas…
Let’s see…there’s a free round of 9-holes at Rundle Golf Course (call now to book!), a free round of Pitch’n'Putt at Kinsmen…free admission (admission only) to places like Fort Edmonton Park, Muttart Conservatory and the Valley Zoo.
Instead of paying the admission price, the City is asking you to bring along a donation for the Edmonton Food Bank.
There’s also something called a Family Fun Sampler (which normally sells for $121) on sale for $49, Sunday only. The sampler gets you admission for two adults and all children of the household to Fort Edmonton, the zoo, the Muttart and one sports/fitness facility.
Edmonton transit has a few notes about service this Sunday.
If an event guide hasn’t fallen out of your newspaper or crossed your path in the last week, there’s a PDF version online.
Most important item of the day*
This is Lucy, on the way to art class.
The City of Edmonton (rather, the Valley Zoo) is providing an update on the health of Lucy the elephant.
Not because Bob Barker is coming to town or anything…
Does it feel, to anyone else, that the two sides of this debate aren’t connecting?
It’s like the Bob Barker/Zoocheck side is arguing that elephants get lonely and need to be in warmer climates, while the City side is arguing that Lucy is loved and people should stay out of our business.
Sigh…at least there’s not a recession to deal with right now.
Health update on Lucy, the Asian elephant living at the Edmonton Valley Zoo Edmonton, September 14, 2009 - Community Services General Manager Linda Cochrane and Valley Zoo veterinarian Dr. Milton Ness will provide an update on Lucy's health, including the results of a recent examination of Lucy and the opinions of a third-party specialist. Date: Monday, September 14, 2009 Time: Noon Location: Valley Zoo, 13315 Buena Vista Road Media representatives should sign-in at the Zoo's administration building.
* It’s not really the most important thing happening today.
