Headlines: July 18, 2024

July 18, 2024 · The Pulse
By Kevin Holowack

Edmonton recorded a new record high for July 17, when temperatures hit 34°C, breaking the previous high of 33.9°C from 1920. It was the fourth day of record heat in Edmonton since July 8. Forecasts suggest Edmonton could break heat records every day from July 18-23, a period likely to go down as the longest-ever stretch of consecutive days over 30°C, CTV News reported.
Taste of Edmonton is set to launch in Churchill Square at 11am on July 18 and will wrap up on July 28. The festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary with 40 booths and eight food trucks, including 11 new restaurants and two new trucks. More than 90 artisans and vendors will also participate, and musical performances begin at 12pm daily.
Criminologist Temitope Oriola wrote an op-ed calling for answers in the wake of the police shooting of Mathios Arkangelo on June 29. "The videos depict an extremely lackadaisical approach to lethal force and a deeply troubling carefree attitude to human life," wrote Oriola, citing a 25-minute video released by Arkangelo's family. Oriola also pointed to 2023 CBC reporting that suggests Alberta has the highest rate of police-involved deaths per capita of any province. The June 29 shooting is being investigated by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating a police shooting that happened near Whyte Avenue and 93 Street NW just after 12am on July 17. Edmonton Police Service officers were responding to reports of a man pointing a gun at a civilian. They shot the man after finding him pointing what appeared to be a gun at a city bus. Police said they recovered a replica gun from the scene. The man is in hospital in critical but stable condition.
The Italian Air Force Aerobatic Team, known as Frecce Tricolori, will perform over Edmonton on July 18 as part of a North American tour, its first in more than 30 years. The performances in Canada are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The tour visited Vancouver on July 16, leaving green, white, and red streaks in the sky to the surprise of many residents.
CTV News caught up with Darryl Learie, an Edmonton man who has taken more than 7,500 photos and 1,300 videos for Google Street View, often while dressed as an alien. Learie has recorded more than 86 kilometres of trails and parks since last year, a third of them while wearing an alien mask. Learie says his goal is to inform people about the conditions and accessibility of Edmonton's trails.
Canadian North airline has installed a new Boeing 737NG Full-Flight Simulator at the Edmonton International Airport, which will reduce the need to send pilots away for training. The airline says it will meet all its Boeing 737NG training requirements with the simulator, which will also be available to pilots of other airlines. Airport CEO Myron Keehn has called the simulator a "huge milestone" for the Edmonton region and the industry as a whole. It will run out of the airport's Alberta Aerospace and Technology Centre.
Podcaster Craig Baird, who hosts Canadian History Ehx, appeared on CBC's This is Edmonton podcast to talk about his show, which has explored Canadian history through more than 550 episodes. CBC is spending the summer profiling the creators of other Edmonton-based podcasts.
Edmonton Centre MP and Federal Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault is once again being scrutinized for whether he remained active in his former business dealings after being appointed to cabinet. A preliminary ethics probe cleared Boissonnault of the allegations in early July, with the only evidence being texts sent by Boissonnault's former business partner, Stephen Anderson, that refer to someone named "Randy." This week, Anderson told a House of Commons ethics committee that all cases of "Randy" in the texts were caused by autocorrect and admitted to previously lying to a reporter about the identity of the other "Randy." Anderson's statements raised suspicions among Conservatives and the NDP that the "Randy" in the texts is indeed Boissonnault, Postmedia reported.
Five current and former Edmonton Riverhawks players are now prospects in Major League Baseball. Ivan Brethowr, who played for the team during the 2022 season, became the first former Riverhawks player drafted into the major leagues, followed soon by Ryan Magdic. Current Riverhawks player Gavin Smith was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays, while pitcher Vicarte Domingo has joined the San Diego Padres. Catcher Tommy Takayoshi was signed by the Oakland Athletics as a free agent.