St. Albert news

• Potential United Conservative Party caucus deficit ends in job cuts

  01-09-2017 21:57 via edmontonjournal.com
  Staff were laid off from the United Conservative Party caucus Friday to deal with a potential $337,000 deficit, the Journal has learned.
  The job cuts come after UCP brass grappled with plugging a caucus funding hole last week. 
  The UCP has yet to return calls about the layoffs. Caucus staff weren’t commenting either, but sources say seven people lost their jobs.
  Along with job cuts, caucus leadership was considering asking MLAs to dip into their allowances to help cover the financial
  
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• 'Horrible' financial controls made MacEwan phishing possible: prof

  01-09-2017 20:58 via edmontonjournal.com
  The construction company that alerted MacEwan University to the fact cyber criminals had tricked staff out of nearly $12 million says the incident hasn’t tainted their relationship with Edmonton’s second largest university.
  Clark Builders, the construction company behind the university’s new $180 million centre for arts and culture, contacted MacEwan after three payments failed to arrive in their bank account in August.
  That set off alarm bells at MacEwan.
  An internal investiga
  
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• AHS warns of salmonella outbreak stemming from folk festival booth

  01-09-2017 20:05 via edmontonjournal.com
  Alberta Health Services says 19 people have been diagnosed with salmonella tracing back to a food outlet at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival.
  The food poisonings have all been linked to sales from the booth operated by the Haweli Restaurant.
  “AHS would like to reassure that there is little ongoing risk to the public due to this outbreak,” the health authority said in a news release Friday. “Operators of the restaurant have been cooperative with public health officials to date a
  
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• Arrest warrant issued for teen co-accused in fatal arson after she didn't show up to court

  01-09-2017 20:03 via edmontonjournal.com
  An arrest warrant was issued for one of the teens charged in the fatal arson that resulted in the death of a five-month old baby after she failed to show up to a court appearance on Friday morning.
  Jessica Tammerand, 18, is charged with arson, disregard for human life and two counts of mischief in connection to a house fire in south Edmonton that killed baby Hunter Brown and seriously injured his mother mother Angie Tang.
  Tammerand is co-accused with Bronson Woycenko, who has been char
  
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• Londonderry Mall Santa feels the Christmas love while in hospital

  01-09-2017 17:30 via edmontonjournal.com
  When Cecil Hawley looked at photos of himself as Santa posing with kids at Christmas, he smiled for the first time in two months.
  Hawley, 68, has been Santa at the Londonderry Mall for years, but has been in the University Hospital for two months with an undiagnosed illness.
  His granddaughter, Nicole Hawley, put out a request on social media for photos with her grandfather to offer him a little early Christmas cheer, expecting a dozen or so photos.
  “At this point, we could probab
  
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• Teen accused of arson in baby's death makes first appearance in court

  01-09-2017 17:26 via edmontonjournal.com
  The teenager charged with second-degree murder in connection to a fatal arson that resulted in the death of a five-month old baby made a brief court appearance on Friday morning.
  Bronson Woycenko, 19, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection to the house fire in south Edmonton that killed baby Hunter Brown and seriously injured his mother mother Angie Tang.
  Woycenko appeared briefly via CCTV and stood quietly while his lawyer asked that the matter be adjourned until later this mo
  
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• Judge orders Edmonton lawyer to pay costs in 'vexatious' claim

  01-09-2017 16:24 via edmontonjournal.com
  An Edmonton lawyer has been ordered to pay costs related to a vexatious court application she advanced on behalf of a client.
  In a decision filed Thursday, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Denny Thomas ruled that lawyer Priscilla Kennedy is personally liable for solicitor and client indemnity costs, along with her client Maurice Stoney.
  Thomas also directed that a copy of his decision be delivered to the Law Society of Alberta — the regulatory body for lawyers in the province.
  “I
  
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• Researchers outline plan to study impact of Edmonton's safe injection sites

  01-09-2017 15:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  Public health researchers behind Edmonton’s effort to develop supervised drug consumption sites say they have a plan to study how the yet-to-be-approved facilities impact both clients and communities.
  Assuming the four sites win approval from Health Canada and begin operating, a robust evaluation process will be needed to gauge the benefits and residents’ reactions to the facilities, the researchers said in a new report.
  “The focus of this evaluation is not on proving the effec
  
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• Opinion: Our dangerous national trail is nothing to celebrate

  01-09-2017 14:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  This past weekend, the Trans Canada Trail organization triumphantly threw “a huge party” to celebrate a “momentous collective achievement” and the realization of a “major Canadian dream.”
  The organization proudly announced that after 25 years and the hard work of “devoted and fun-loving volunteers, partners and donors,” the Great Trail of Canada was finally connected: “It’s the longest trail system in the world, and it’s in our ba
  
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• Friday's letters: Removing Oliver's name a slippery slope

  01-09-2017 14:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  Re. “Historical tributes to Oliver under fire,” Aug. 26
  Frank Oliver may, or may not, have done the things rally organizer Marisa Peters claims he did.
  If he did, a case can be made that they were reprehensible actions, but they must be considered in the times they occurred not in today’s very different world. The probability is that his views were the views of the prevailing majority of those days. Canada was founded in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries on similar views that
  
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• Councillor who built skinny homes finds infill too expensive to sell in Edmonton

  01-09-2017 14:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  Andrew Knack can’t sell his skinny homes. 
  The Ward 1 councillor built one for family and one to sell in West Jasper Place. But now he and the rest of council have run into a major problem with the city’s infill strategy: it’s just too expensive. 
  New city research released Thursday concludes two-thirds of residents can’t afford a $360,000 average-priced home in Edmonton, and most infill homes are listed for well above average.
  Knack said the skinny home he trie
  
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• Goalie prospect Nick Ellis making his mark fast in Edmonton Oilers organization

  01-09-2017 08:26 via edmontonjournal.com
  2017 Edmonton Oilers prospects: No. 7: Nick Ellis
  Previously: ranked 21st best Oilers prospect in 2016 list
  In October 2016, Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli was asked if the Edmonton Oilers had improved in goal.
  “Goal? Yes,” Chiarelli said. “Including depth, Nick Ellis has been outstanding in Bakersfield, and then we got L.B. knocking on the door, so yes.”
  Chiarelli made this comment just as the 2016-17 season commenced and before Ellis, 22, outplayed Brossoit, 23, in Bakersfie
  
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• Scott Thompson, Elvira Kurt to perform at Edmonton Comedy Festival

  01-09-2017 08:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  We live in stressful times. What better way to shake off the craziness of Twitter tirades and unstable global politics than a comedy festival?
  Running from Oct. 12-14, the seventh annual Edmonton Comedy Festival features 21 headlining comedians from across North America and 18 shows in four venues.
  Among the marquee names at this year’s festival is Canadian comedy legend Scott Thompson, best known for his groundbreaking work as one of the Kids in the Hall, and more recently, for playing cr
  
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• Children learn about school bus 'danger zone' at First Riders event

  01-09-2017 05:59 via edmontonjournal.com
  School bus driver Beverley Maddox tells the children to come to the front of the bus, where she is about to walk her audience through a scenario. She was holding a stuffed animal and, to her horror, it’s blown under the bus.
  “Who goes and gets my teddy bear?” she asks. There are murmurs from the crowd.
  “The bus driver, right,” she said, showing the children to signal for the bus driver to get it for them. This tactic is to avoid going in the danger zone —
  
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• U of A football Bears look at 2017 as turnaround season

  01-09-2017 04:38 via edmontonjournal.com
  There is a strong belief within the University of Alberta Golden Bears locker room that this could be the year the program finally turns the corner.
  But that belief will be put to the test right away when they open their Canada West regular season on Friday against the defending Hardy Cup champion Calgary Dinos at Foote Field (7 p.m. kickoff).
  They may enter their season opener as big underdogs – but they don’t care.
  Bring it on. They’re up for the challenge. 
  They relish
  
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• Families who lost loved ones call for action on opioid crisis

  01-09-2017 03:53 via edmontonjournal.com
  Mioara Whytock clutches a photograph in her hands as tears roll down her cheeks, a picture of her son kayaking on her T-shirt.
  Standing beside is her husband, Steve Whytock, wearing a shirt with a different photo of Calum Whytock. Their son died of a carfentanil overdose last April, just a week before his 19th birthday.
  Calum Whytock was one of many overdose victims remembered at the Alberta legislature Thursday on International Overdose Awareness Day.
  Community and family members spoke of the n
  
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• Alumni testify to success of Alberta apprenticeship program for high-school students

  01-09-2017 03:36 via edmontonjournal.com
  Ryline Monkman said that before he started an apprenticeship in high school, he was headed to be a dropout. Instead he graduated with honours and found a career path.
  Through his involvement in the registered apprentice program with CAREERS: The Next Generation, he became a certified autobody technician.
  “It’s like art,” Monkman said. “You turn something that’s ugly back to a beautiful creation.”
  CAREERS: The Next Generation is preparing for the new school yea
  
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• U.S. rider Evan Huffman looks to build on Tour of Alberta success

  01-09-2017 02:50 via edmontonjournal.com
  It’s been a dream season for Evan Huffman, and he looks back on his performance last year at the Tour of Alberta as a big catalyst for his success in 2017.
  Huffman won Stage 3 and finished in third place and he’s got bigger aspirations this year to finish at the top of the podium.
  The Tour of Alberta kicks off on Friday with the opening stage starting in Jasper and running through Jasper National Park. It’s a grueling 165-km trek that finishes at the top of Marmot Basin Sk
  
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• MacEwan University loses $11.8 million to scammers in phishing attack

  01-09-2017 02:33 via edmontonjournal.com
  Low-level MacEwan University staffers were tricked into transferring $11.8 million into scammers’ bank accounts in what one expert said is among the largest publicly disclosed phishing scams.
  The majority of the money, $11.4 million, has been traced to bank accounts in Montreal and Hong Kong. 
  “We are fairly confident that we will be able to recover those funds, the $11.4 million,” MacEwan spokesman David Beharry said Thursday. “It’s a question of how long will
  
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• Tax preparer found guilty of defrauding Canada Revenue Agency by filing millions in false claims

  01-09-2017 02:25 via edmontonjournal.com
  An Edmonton tax preparer was found guilty Thursday of filing millions of dollars in false tax claims on behalf of unwitting clients. 
  Provincial court Judge Joyce Lester convicted Chander Mohan Sharma of one count of defrauding the Canada Revenue Agency of over $5,000.
  Lester found that Sharma, 58, was responsible for about $2.9 million in false claims. During the trial, court heard that this resulted in about $600,000 of fraud in the form of tax revenue owed to the Government of Canada.
  Wh
  
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• Fort McMurray wildfire finally extinguished after 15 months

  01-09-2017 02:23 via edmontonjournal.com
  Fort McMurray — After 458 days, the Horse River fire that destroyed thousands of homes and scattered tens of thousands of people across Canada is finally dead. 
  The fire — first spotted on May 1, 2016, before entering Fort McMurray two days later — was declared extinguished on Aug. 2, said Lynn Daina of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.
  At its height, the May 2016 wildfire burned an area of 589,552 hectares, or 5,895 square-kilometres. 
  Even after the fire was declare
  
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• Terry Jones: Loss inspires Eskimos QB Mike Reilly heading into Labour Day Classic

  01-09-2017 02:14 via edmontonjournal.com
  Yes, Adarius Bowman will be back from the injured list to play against the Calgary Stampeders in the Labour Day Classic. But the real key for the Edmonton Eskimos will be getting Mike Reilly back.
  There was an imposter playing his position Friday in the humiliating loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
  “Mike, who has played outstanding this year, threw two pick sixes in one quarter. You could wait until another lunar eclipse for that to happen again,” said head coach Jason Maas of hi
  
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• $11.8 million transferred from MacEwan accounts in phishing scam

  01-09-2017 01:18 via edmontonjournal.com
  MacEwan University staff were tricked into transferring $11.8 million into scammers’ bank accounts in what one expert said is among the largest publicly disclosed phishing scams.
  The majority of the money, $11.4 million, has been traced to bank accounts in Canada and Hong Kong and has been frozen as the university pursues its options in the courts. 
  “We are fairly confident that we will be able to recover those funds, the $11.4 million,” MacEwan spokesman David Beharry sai
  
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• Southern floods impacting Eskimos and Stampeders ahead of Labour Day clash

  01-09-2017 01:10 via edmontonjournal.com
  The annual Battle of Alberta rivalry is heating up for Monday’s annual Labour Day Classic, but fire isn’t the first element the Edmonton Eskimos and Calgary Stampeders have had their minds on.
  Flooding in Houston and along the coast of Texas has given pause to players on both sides of the provincial rivalry.
  “It’s insane to think about,” Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell said Wednesday at McMahon Stadium. “Even some of the videos and pictures I’ve
  
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• Guns N' Roses security chases Eskimos from indoor practice field

  01-09-2017 00:58 via edmontonjournal.com
  When the Edmonton Eskimos arrived at Commonwealth Stadium earlier this week, they thought they were just heading into the office.
  What they got was welcomed to the jungle.
  With the notorious hard rock group Guns N’ Roses back together for their Not in this Lifetime tour, which stopped in Edmonton on Wednesday, the Eskimos found themselves sharing space with Axl Rose & Co.
  While the stage was set up outside in the 56,000-seat stadium, the team soon found out other areas of their facilit
  
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• David Staples: Voters ticked about traffic woes, taxes candidates say

  01-09-2017 00:44 via edmontonjournal.com
  Transportation woes and high taxes — those are the issues most commonly raised by Edmontonians when they’re asked by candidates about the coming civic election.
  Candidates have been going door-to-door for the past months to talk to voters about the Oct. 16 election. For this column, I surveyed those candidates running as challengers (I focused on challengers, as opposed to incumbents, who have had years to make known their views).
  Of course, the results here aren’t scientific,
  
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• Police investigate after officer fires weapon on Whyte Avenue

  01-09-2017 00:39 via edmontonjournal.com
  The Edmonton Police Service homicide section was investigating after an officer fired shots near 99 Street and Whyte Avenue on Wednesday night.
  Southwest division officers were investigating a suspected stolen vehicle near a convenience store in the area around 10:15 p.m.
  “Shots were allegedly fired by an EPS member,” police said in a release early Thursday. 
  Officers were looking for an older model, four-door, white Ford F-350 diesel truck and its driver, police said.
  The Direc
  
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• Stony Plain RCMP seize carfentanil in west Edmonton drug bust

  01-09-2017 00:30 via edmontonjournal.com
  RCMP officials on Thursday called it a major blow to the Edmonton area drug trade after officers with the Stony Plain/Spruce Grove/Enoch RCMP detachment seized roughly $700,000 worth of drugs from a west Edmonton residence Aug. 25.
  Working on a tip, Stony Plain RCMP executed a search warrant on a residence that lead to the arrest of brothers and the seizure of significant quantities of illegal drugs, including fentanyl and carfentanil.
  The seizure included 3.2 kg of MDMA (commonly known as ecsta
  
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• John Short: Canadian tennis talent to be on display in Edmonton

  01-09-2017 00:25 via edmontonjournal.com
  Moments after budding singles superstar Denis Shapovalov completed his three-set victory in the opening round of the U.S. Open tournament, Tennis Alberta president Elizabeth Huculak uttered a brief and telling response: “That’s wonderful.”
  The reaction was perhaps the clearest possible indication of his importance to this nation’s tennis in general, and specifically, his probable role in the Sept. 15-17 Davis Cup Tie between Canada and India at Northlands Coliseum.
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