Headlines

Feb. 22, 2022 · The Pulse
By Mack Male and Doug Johnson

An estimated 1,200 people marched and about 680 vehicles were part of a convoy that clogged downtown Edmonton streets with honking horns for a fourth consecutive weekend. The Edmonton Police Service said it issued 209 tickets to drivers involved on Feb. 19, including 71 tickets for noise and 27 for distracted driving.
The province has announced the Edmonton Metro Region Economic Recovery Working Group, which will be chaired by Searle Turton, MLA for Spruce Grove-Stony Plain. The working group will engage with Edmonton-area leaders, businesses, and organizations to learn more about how the province can support economic recovery and growth in the region — including by leveraging tech, AI, etc. BOMA Edmonton CEO Lisa Baroldi and Edmonton Global CEO Malcolm Bruce will serve as co-vice chairs.
Effective Feb. 28, the University of Alberta and NAIT will lift their COVID-19 vaccine mandates, with other post-secondary institutions planning to follow suit. More than 97% of students and 99.96% of faculty and staff at the U of A have been fully vaccinated, president Bill Flanagan said.
During the Hypothermic Half Marathon on Feb. 20, Edmonton runner David Eliuk wore 90 shirts, unofficially breaking the Guinness World Record in the category.
Edmonton police are warning F150 truck owners of a rise in thefts — in particular, thieves have started targeting 2018-2020 models of the trucks equipped with push-button starters. Police say the thieves are "using sophisticated technology to defeat the trucks' anti-theft systems," and urge people to park their trucks in secure places, like garages.
Concerns around inflation, housing, transit, and long-term planning surround the upcoming provincial budget, which will be presented on Thursday, Feb. 24. Finance Minister Travis Toews plans on wearing the same cowboy boots he wore last year at the unveiling of the new budget. "They've served me well over the past year," Toews said.
The Provincial Court of Alberta will resume all in-person trials starting today. Social distancing, limited capacity, enhanced cleaning, and mandatory masking are some of the precautions that remain in effect.
Premier Jason Kenney said Alberta will launch a court challenge against the federal government invoking the Emergencies Act, calling it "an unnecessary and disproportionate measure." Earlier this month however, the provincial government sought federal assistance to clear the blockade at Coutts. The decision to invoke the Emergencies Act passed a House of Commons vote on Feb. 21.