St. Albert news

• Edmonton oil and gas company accused of breaching securities laws

  30-11-2017 23:57 via edmontonjournal.com
  An Edmonton-based oil and gas company allegedly breached provincial securities laws, according to a notice of hearing filed by the Alberta Securities Commission on Wednesday.
  Tamarisk Energy Corp. and its director Robert Carl Stewart are alleged to have engaged in illegal distribution of securities, provided misleading information to the securities commission, and falsely telling investors that Tamarisk would be listed on an exchange.
  Tamarisk primarily pursued oil and gas interests in the Unite
  
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• New city garden plots available for 2018

  30-11-2017 23:01 via edmontonjournal.com
  The City of Edmonton is piloting a vacant lot cultivation licence to allow residents to temporarily rent vacant city-owned lots for gardening, said the city in a recent news release.
  More than 150 lots are now available for rent for seasonal use between April 1 and Oct. 31.
  City officials are doing a test run of the process and its supporting materials. They are asking interested members of the public to come to a workshop and information session on Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Edmonto
  
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• More charges laid in naked Nisku crash, alleged kidnapping case

  30-11-2017 21:47 via edmontonjournal.com
  LEDUC, Alta. — One of three people arrested in a bizarre case of an Alberta family allegedly kidnapped by a group of naked people is facing additional charges.
  Court records show a 35-year-old woman has been charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving, causing property damage over $5,000 and four counts of assault with a weapon — the weapon being a car.
  The woman, along with a 27-year-old man and his 30-year-old wife, were charged earlier this month with kidnapping and resisting
  
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• Alberta finance minister rules out provincial sales tax as he meets with economic experts

  30-11-2017 21:09 via edmontonjournal.com
  A provincial sales tax is off the table for Alberta as Finance Minister Joe Ceci looks towards the 2018 budget. 
  Ceci met with eight economists from across the country in Edmonton Thursday morning to talk about Alberta’s economic picture and where Canada as a whole is headed.
  The meeting comes in a roller-coaster week for Ceci — delivering a comparatively rosy financial picture Tuesday morning in the form of second-quarter financials, then plummeting into the depths of another c
  
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• Alberta tuition freeze to continue for 2018-19 academic year

  30-11-2017 21:07 via edmontonjournal.com
  A tuition and fee freeze at Alberta’s public post-secondary institutes will continue into its fourth year with the government committing around $17 million in backfill payments to compensate for the inability of universities and colleges to raise tuition.
  Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt said Thursday the freeze applies to 20 public post-secondary institutions and will apply to apprenticeship tuition.
  It will not apply to six private institutions.
  However, existing mand
  
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• Have you always fantasized about a garden? New city plots available fo

  30-11-2017 21:04 via edmontonjournal.com
  The City of Edmonton is piloting a vacant lot cultivation licence to allow residents to temporarily rent vacant city-owned lots for gardening, said the city in a recent news release.
  More than 150 lots are now available for rent for seasonal use between April 1 and Oct. 31.
  City officials are doing a test run of the process and its supporting materials. They are asking interested members of the public to come to a workshop and information session on Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Edmonto
  
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• Climate change good news for barley crops, beef industry: University of Alberta research

  30-11-2017 18:49 via edmontonjournal.com
  Barley, a key feed crop for beef production, is set to benefit from the warmer temperatures and increased humidity that come with climate change, shows University of Alberta research.
  Researchers looked decades ahead to 2064 to assess the water footprint related to barley and the beef industry, concluding rain-fed barley crops in northern Alberta will increase while irrigation-fed crops in the south will remain stable, requiring less water for production.
  “Global beef production is set to
  
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• Paulatics Live: The NDP targets online ticket bots

  30-11-2017 18:09 via edmontonjournal.com
  The Alberta’s NDP government has introduced legislation that would ban online ticket sale bots.
  Bots are used by resellers to snap up tickets so they can put them back on the market for inflated prices. Bots lead to tickets selling out at lightning speed, leaving fans without a chance to see their favourite band or sports team.
  Join city columnist Paula Simons and legislative reporter Emma Graney as they discuss the issue live on Facebook.
  
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• Spotlight falls on Laurent Brossoit as Edmonton Oilers place Cam Talbot on injured reserve

  30-11-2017 18:03 via edmontonjournal.com
  Game Day 26: Maple Leafs at Oilers
  Despite enjoying a rare two-game winning streak, major changes were afoot in the Edmonton Oilers’ forward deployment on Wednesday in advance of tonight”s game against Toronto Maple Leafs. The forward lines and both powerplay units had a new look, with an increased role for a couple of youngsters and lessened responsibilities for a few veterans. However, the key change for the club will be in the blue paint, where youngsters will be in the spotlight
  
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• Mail theft being investigated in Strathcona County

  30-11-2017 17:31 via edmontonjournal.com
  Strathcona County RCMP are investigating theft of mail from various locations during the past week, a news release from police said Wednesday.
  The thefts involve small parcels, cards and general mail being stolen from compartments in community mailboxes located throughout rural Strathcona County, said Const. Chantelle Kelly of the Strathcona County RCMP.
  “During the holiday season, this type of theft sometimes spikes as thieves hope to find Christmas cards with cheques or ca
  
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• Patients facing longer waits in Edmonton emergency departments

  30-11-2017 17:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  Patients arriving at Edmonton-area emergency rooms are experiencing worsening delays for an initial doctor’s assessment and to be admitted to a bed as the capital region’s hospitals continue to lag behind the rest of the province.
  The findings are revealed in newly published data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information that tracks the annual performance of provinces, health regions and individual facilities on a number of fronts.
  The new statistics, unveiled Thursday, incl
  
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• Thursday's letters: Keep airport bus fare affordable

  30-11-2017 14:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  Re. “City votes to increase airport bus fare, maintain service,” Nov. 28
  The airport bus fare increase is a very regressive measure that will hit hard for students, seniors and the poor.
  For a measly $2.10 in Toronto, seniors and students can ride their subway all the way to Kipling Station and transfer to the airport bus, the Rocket, to Pearson International Airport, with the whole trip from downtown taking under an hour.
  That is the way a big city can run.
  
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• Opinion: Anti-pipeline B.C. turns its back on Canadian economy

  30-11-2017 14:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  This is now a serious question: do most British Columbians see themselves as Canadians?On current evidence, the answer must be no.
  This is demonstrated by the unyielding environmentalist opposition to any pipelines carrying Alberta oil or gas across B.C. to tidewater. The opponents’ only evident concern is in preserving “Beautiful British Columbia.”
  Search all the B.C. commentary about this issue and you will not find one comment where the nay-sayers give any consideration to t
  
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• NDP walking a political tightrope while being attacked from all sides

  30-11-2017 14:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  When Ralph Klein was premier he’d often say, “In politics for every action a government takes there is an equal and opposite reaction, usually unfavourable.”
  With apologies to Sir Isaac Newton, call it Klein’s third law of political motion.
  This is what the NDP government is learning, to its dismay, this week.
  Here we have a well-meaning government that has taken steps over the past few days to protect workers’ safety, compensate grieving families and save money. It
  
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• Hit man serving life sentence gets rare chance at early release through faint-hope clause

  30-11-2017 14:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  A man serving a life sentence for a mistaken-identity hit job on an 18-year-old NAIT student will get the opportunity to try to convince a jury to shorten his wait for parole eligibility using the faint-hope clause, a judge ruled Wednesday.
  Keith Schell, 52, is serving a life sentence for the Dec. 13, 2000, shooting of Adnan Pervez — who Schell killed instead of his intended target, Pervez’s older brother Usman Pervez.
  Court of Queen’s Bench associate Chief Justice John Rooke r
  
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• Hand-made gift catalogue put Edmonton under the tree this year

  30-11-2017 14:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  So much about holiday shopping is expensive and tiring. Especially dispiriting are the parts that see you doubt not only your choices, but the very spirit of the season. Shoppers will be pleased to learn that a new catalogue of gifts crafted in Edmonton not only makes the process easy and affordable, it creates jobs, and goodwill along the way.
  Gifted, the Edmonton Made Gift Catalogue, was assembled by Edmonton Economic Development as the first in an annual publication series designed to dr
  
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• Matt Benning is the one really good news story on Edmonton Oilers defence

  30-11-2017 08:47 via edmontonjournal.com
  The Edmonton Oilers have just 10 wins in 25 games. Only three other teams have allowed more goals per game. 
  It’s no surprise then that there’s far more bad news on defence than good news. But there is some good news. 
  The bad news amounts to every Oilers d-man who has been tried in a top-pairing starting to leak Grade A chances against at an alarming rate.
  Oscar Klefbom has struggled almost since word go this year, but Adam Larsson and Darnell Nurse are also starting to su
  
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• Festival of Trees funds to improve emergency care at U of A Hospital

  30-11-2017 04:33 via edmontonjournal.com
  The Festival of Trees brings the spirit of the holiday season to life for many visiting families, but this year it’s helping save lives by raising funds for the University of Alberta Hospital’s rapid transfer unit.
  “We want to do our best to ensure that people get first-class care, world-class care, at the University of Alberta Hospital,” said Festival of Trees chairwoman Patricia Allewell Nieberding on Wednesday. “We are very proud that Edmonton has access to that
  
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• Two Edmonton Remand Centre inmates hospitalized with suspected overdoses

  30-11-2017 04:17 via edmontonjournal.com
  Two inmates were hospitalized on Wednesday morning with suspected drug overdoses at the Edmonton Remand Centre.
  One inmate was found unresponsive in his cell by correctional staff who were doing their rounds, according to a statement from Alberta Justice and Solicitor General spokesman Dan Laville on Wednesday.
  Staff couldn’t wake the man and initiated an emergency code.
  “Onsite medical staff immediately responded and began emergency first aid, including the use of naloxone to addres
  
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• Land title searches back online after service outage

  30-11-2017 04:01 via edmontonjournal.com
  Land title searches were back online at 5 p.m. Wednesday after an outage in Calgary and Edmonton.
  Neil Levine, speaking on behalf of Service Alberta, said the offices will be open on Thursday at 8:15 a.m. as usual.
  “Land title offices will have extended hours to serve Albertans,” Levine said, stating they will be open as needed depending on demand. 
  No requests submitted on Monday were processed and were put in a priority queue. The offices were closed Tuesday and Wednesday due
  
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• Paula Simons: Supreme Court appointment stirs controversy

  30-11-2017 02:34 via edmontonjournal.com
  Sheilah Martin is a superlatively well-qualified appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada. And yet, news the respected Calgary judge had been promoted to Canada’s highest court from the Alberta Court of Appeal was met in some quarters with anger and disappointment.
  The reason has nothing to do with Martin’s legal track record.
  When oh when will Canada and its institutions stop paying lip service to "diversity" and "reconciliation" and *actually do the right thing* ? #SCChttps://t.c
  
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• Funding announced for two Edmonton Catholic school projects

  30-11-2017 01:39 via edmontonjournal.com
  Education Minister David Eggen announced $25.5 million for the construction of a new Catholic elementary school and $2 million for the design of a new high school completion centre Wednesday. 
  The new elementary school for 600 children in The Orchards at Ellerslie neighbourhood in Edmonton will affect the area for “generations to come,” Eggen said in the library of the nearby Father Michael Mireau School.
  “A community centre. A place to gather, and a source of pride,&rdquo
  
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• 'Put in a friggin' artificial tree': Council told current street tree planting strategy wastes money

  30-11-2017 01:33 via edmontonjournal.com
  Edmonton’s habit of planting street trees in small pits with no room to grow turns out to be a big waste of time and money.
  Without space to stretch their roots, most of Edmonton’s saplings planted along Jasper Avenue, Whyte Avenue and 124 Street sprout into teenagers but grow no further.
  They die, get torn out and a new sapling goes in to face exactly the same fate.
  “Put in a friggin’ artificial tree if you put it in knowing it’s got a limited life in front of it,&
  
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• Notes from the Dome: Online liquor licensing, a front-bench baby and a Jewish exhibit

  30-11-2017 01:09 via edmontonjournal.com
  The province has introduced an online liquor licence program just in time for holiday parties. 
  Sales of special event licences for private events used to be limited to liquor stores, but a new online program means Albertans can apply and pay for their licence online. The change also means paper-issued licences will be phased out.
  Head to the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission website to get a licence. 
  A new baby for the front bench
  Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley delivered he
  
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• Local decorators take the cake at Festival of Trees contest

  30-11-2017 01:01 via edmontonjournal.com
  Every year, the Festival of Trees kicks off the Christmas season in Edmonton for me. I’ve been a judge for the festival’s gingerbread competition since I became food writer at the Journal in 2008 and, every year, I look forward to the honour. Here are the winners of the 2017 competition.
  The gold prize in the Non-Professional Gingerbread category goes to a piece named Christmas Congregation, made by Redawna Kalynchuk. Photo: Liane Faulder/Postmedia
  In the Professional Decorated Cake
  
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• Local dancers heading to world competition

  30-11-2017 01:00 via edmontonjournal.com
  Dancers from Edmonton and Western Canada practice in preparation to go to a world championship dance competition in Poland.
  
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• American accused of killing Edmonton man denied bail

  30-11-2017 00:52 via edmontonjournal.com
  An American citizen facing first-degree murder and arson charges in connection to the death of an Edmonton man was denied bail on Wednesday.
  Jason Steadman, 43, appeared unmoved as he stared down at documents in his lap while Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Juliana Topolniski rejected his application to be released while he awaits his 2019 trial. 
  All arguments and evidence presented during the hearing that began Monday are protected by a court-ordered publication ban.
  Dwayne Demkiw, 4
  
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• Morinville RCMP and Edmonton police chase stolen vehicle

  30-11-2017 00:39 via edmontonjournal.com
  Morinville RCMP arrested two people and retrieved a stolen vehicle after a chase that covered air and ground, according to a press release on Wednesday.
  In the early hours of Wednesday morning, around 1:50 a.m., Morinville RCMP were dispatched to assist Edmonton Police Service Air1, which was following a stolen vehicle from Edmonton, said Const. Amanda Foster of the Morinville RCMP in the release. 
  “EPS attempted to stop the stolen vehicle but it fled from police and left th
  
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• Economic boost expected from new non-stop Edmonton-San Francisco flights

  30-11-2017 00:37 via edmontonjournal.com
  Air Canada is starting direct Edmonton-San Francisco service May 1 that Mayor Don Iveson says will provide a major boost to Edmonton’s growing advanced technology industry.
  The daily link will make it easier for staff from local firms in such areas as artificial intelligence, gaming and machine learning to meet with investors and executives in the California city and nearby Silicon Valley, Iveson said Wednesday.
  “The importance of this daily, non-stop connection cannot be underestima
  
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