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Headlines: Feb. 17, 2023

· The Pulse
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  • Edmonton's Food Bank has reduced the maximum number of boxes per household each month from four to three. "The current demand for our services is continuously outstripping our food donations," the charity said in a notice explaining the decision. "It also takes its toll on our staff, volunteers, and partner agencies." Late last year, the province announced it would put $20 million toward food banks over two years, but the $280,000 allotted to Edmonton's Food Bank this year is only enough to fill the shelves with groceries for one month, according to executive director Marjorie Bencz. Around 35,000 Edmontonians were accessing the food bank's hamper program each month by the end of 2022.
  • Alberta Health Services has declared an end to the Edmonton Shigella outbreak, which officially began on Sept. 8 and primarily affected vulnerable Edmontonians in the inner-city. AHS said in a release that no new cases have been reported in the last two weeks. During the course of the outbreak, 206 people had confirmed Shigella diagnoses, of which 139 required hospitalization. No deaths connected to the outbreak were reported. It was the largest Shigella outbreak ever seen in the city.
  • Insurance company Lloyd Sadd will relocate its head office and about 220 employees from 124 Street to 101 Street, which the company said was an effort to boost vibrancy and safety in downtown Edmonton. The move is scheduled for 2024. Puneeta McBryan, executive director of the Edmonton Downtown Business Association said the influx of workers will be a welcome addition as the "movement of people in our downtown is one of the biggest things we are missing."
  • The Edmonton Police Service told the Edmonton Police Commission it is going to rezone the downtown division to create three new beats, which police say is to clear up confusion introduced when the Healthy Streets Operation Centre launched in 2022 to bring more police and social service resources into the area. The new beats of Cromdale/Boyle Street, Oliver, and Jasper West were chosen based on data and crime trends, according to police. The new zones will be implemented Feb. 19.
  • Vocal police critic Duncan Kinney, executive director of Progress Alberta and editor of Progress Report, has filed a complaint against the Edmonton Police Service in which he alleges he was assaulted and intimidated by officers at a Feb. 1 news conference at police headquarters downtown announcing the deployment of 12 Alberta sheriffs to Edmonton. He recounted the event in an article published in Progress Report on Feb. 4. Kinney is also awaiting a March 9 court date related to charges of mischief brought against him by the police in October 2022.
  • TransEd ran an emergency test simulation on the Valley Line Southeast tracks on the afternoon of Feb. 16. The scenario simulated a collision between a train and a cyclist at 51 Avenue and 75 Street. CEO Ronald Joncas said the exercise brings the company "one step closer" to opening the line, which is two years late and still does not have a launch date.
  • The Stanley A. Milner Library hosted a "human library" on Feb. 15, which was organized by students of W. P. Wagner School as part of a series of anti-racism events. The event encouraged small groups to talk through issues and challenge stereotypes with dialogue. More than 150 junior high students attended, along with several councillors, MLAs, and community leaders.
  • Kelpie, a 28-year-old California sea lion that lived in the marine area in West Edmonton Mall since 2004, has been euthanized. In a release, the mall said Kelpie "far outlived her natural expectancy" and was considered "very geriatric for her species."
  • Edmonton is the third-sexiest city in Canada, according to PinkCherry, a retailer of sexual health and wellness products, which based its latest ranking on consumer purchases and behaviours from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022. Calgary was ranked No. 1 for the third year in a row.
  • Olivia and Noah were the most popular baby names in Alberta in 2022. Olivia has been the most popular name since 2013, while Noah is now on a four-year streak.