Headlines: July 10, 2024

· The Pulse
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  • The eastbound lanes of 23 Avenue over Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard will be closed for pavement repairs from 7pm on July 12 through July 14. Drivers should plan for extra travel time and consider alternate routes like Parsons Road, 34 Avenue, and Ellerslie Road. The Edmonton Police Service will assist with traffic control.
  • Edmonton's Paths for People is relaunching a 2019 initiative to identify and address missing links in the city's sidewalk network in an effort to improve accessibility and safety for residents, especially those with disabilities. The City of Edmonton has already used data from the group's initial survey to build about five kilometres of new sidewalks, and has plans to add another seven kilometres in the next two years.
  • The City of Edmonton launched its new Industrial Investment Action Plan to attract investment, diversify the economy, and increase the industrial tax base. The plan includes nine key actions aimed at promoting industrial advantages, improving business processes, and collaborating with Indigenous and equity-deserving communities. Administration will outline an implementation plan to city council in early 2025.
  • The heat wave in Western Canada is exacerbating the wildfire risk in northern Alberta, with extreme temperatures and out-of-control fires prompting warnings, particularly in the Fort McMurray area. Cenovus Energy has "demobilized" some staff at its Sunrise oilsands project, though operations remain unaffected. Firefighters were battling 39 wildfires as of July 9, including the 19,000-hectare Semo complex fire, with significant resources deployed to manage the situation.
  • The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has released new details about a fatal police shooting in northeast Edmonton on June 29. The incident began with a 911 call about a vehicle rollover, leading to a search for the driver, who was later shot by an Edmonton Police Service officer. The police oversight agency is investigating police use of force and has asked for witnesses to come forward.
  • Edmonton-area swimmers Reid Maxwell and Emma Finlin are set to compete in the 2024 Summer Paralympics and Olympics in Paris. Maxwell, 16, will participate in the Paralympics, while Finlin, 19, will represent Canada in the women's 10-kilometre open water swimming event at the Olympics. "It's always been a lifelong dream to make the team," said Maxwell.
  • No injuries were reported after a Bell 212 helicopter and a Cessna 172 plane collided midair northwest of Edmonton near Villeneuve Airport the morning of July 9. Both aircraft managed to land safely. The Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
  • Maclean's Magazine published a first-person article about why Sean Murphy and his family moved from Edmonton to Mexico during the pandemic. Murphy said that they left because of pandemic restrictions and the high cost of living in Canada. The family found a more affordable and less restrictive environment in Bucerias, Mexico, where the cost of living was lower. "Our lifestyle is unconventional, but it works—as of now, we have no plans to leave Mexico," he said.