- As of July 20, Albertans 18 or older can book appointments for a second booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine five months or more after the date of their previous dose. The Omicron BA.5 variant, which data suggests is more transmissible but not more likely to cause severe illness, is currently the most common strain in the province, leading to falling hospitalization rates but high transmission rates. Albertans who are at-risk are especially encouraged to receive a second booster shot.
- The Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, comprised of 16 member Nations, has signed a relationship agreement with the Alberta government to collaboratively address 10 priority areas including healthcare, economic development, tourism, housing, and mental health. According to the agreement, the Minister of Indigenous Relations and chiefs will have quarterly meetings, the Premier will have one annual meeting with chiefs, the parties will develop an annual progress report, and the confederacy will receive a $300,000 capacity grant.
- Taste of Edmonton is running July 21-31 in Churchill Square. Returning to a full-scale event, the festival will feature 150 menu items and 52 vendors, including 10 food trucks. Despite financial pressures, organizers have kept the price of a 40-ticket sheet at $69.50, or about $1.73 per ticket.
- Axon, the American company that makes Tasers, said it has received a "significant" number of orders from Canadian police for its TASER 7 energy weapon. The company received orders for 1,000 of the weapons from the Calgary Police Service in Q2. The Edmonton Police Service is among the agencies currently using the weapon, according to a press release.
- The city is reminding residents about its Safe Passing Distance Bylaw, which came into effect last September and requires a minimum of one metre between vehicles and bicycles when the speed limit is 60 km/h or less, and 1.5 metres when the speed limit is higher. The Side by Side education campaign is intended "to provide clarity," according to Shewkar Ibrahim, a transportation safety engineer with the City of Edmonton.
- The Edmonton Elks have launched Project $2 Million, which will see the club donate $2 million worth of services and activations to 20 local non-profits over the next year. "We have a responsibility as a community-owned team to actively enhance the people and organizations in our city, and through Project $2 Million we will be able to share our expertise and platform with these deserving community partners," said president Victor Cui.
- A group of local ninjas is preparing for an upcoming world championship in Las Vegas put on by the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association. "I'm pretty proud that so many athletes out of this gym and out of Edmonton have qualified and are making the trip down there," said Tim Gourlay, owner of the Fitset Ninja all-age obstacle course gyms in Edmonton and Calgary. A total of 45 Albertans are participating in the event from July 21-23.
Headlines
By Kevin Holowack and Mack Male