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Karen Unland

Editor-in-Chief

She/Her

Karen is the co-founder of Taproot Publishing Inc. and the Alberta Podcast Network. She previously worked as a reporter and editor for 14 years at the Edmonton Journal before leaving the newsroom in 2011 to start a consulting business and teach journalism.

Karen has a Masters in Journalism from Carleton University and attended the beat business training program at CUNY's Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism in the summer of 2015.


Recent work by Karen

A tree-lined trail in Edmonton's river valley
city council infrastructure

Calls for public engagement: Trees, zoning, and neighbourhood improvement

Here are some opportunities to offer your input to the City of Edmonton on various civic issues, such as renewal projects, service provision, and bylaws.

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A UCP sign to the left of a sidewalk and an NDP sign to the right on a tree-lined street with a magpie walking by
election alberta

Provincial election roundup: May 24, 2023

Advance voting has begun in the 2023 provincial election and will continue until May 27. Here are some other things to know heading into Election Day on May 29.

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A large crowd of people looking at used bikes in an underground garage
events

Weekend agenda: May 12-14, 2023

This weekend's activities include playoff hockey parties, a conversation with a Giller Prize winner, a festival of 2SLGBTQ+ movies, a great big bike swap, a reggae party, a theatre fest for kids, and lots of Mother's Day fun.

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Chris Robson holds a microphone and a picture of the Walterdale Bridge, flanked by a smiling Mike Wilson and Meghan Dear
business technology

Wyvern among winners at YEG Startup Community Awards

A company that successfully launched a satellite into space was recognized as the "Most Edmonton Startup of the Year" at the third annual YEG Startup Community Awards on May 10.

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Dozens of sticky notes on a wall under the words "What Issue Should the Provincial Government Prioritize with the first year of being elected?"
election alberta

Provincial election roundup: May 10, 2023

Here's a summary of useful things to know heading into the provincial election, including forums from interVivos and the Women's Health Coalition, agenda-setting from Alberta Municipalities and Public Interest Alberta, and news about Edmonton-area ridings.

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A worker in orange and yellow coveralls points a long, red tool at a metal cabinet
technology business

High-voltage cleaning company plugs into accelerator

A Spruce Grove-based company has come up with a safe, green way to clean high-voltage infrastructure without having to turn the power off. Now the team behind SPI Utilities Solutions needs to build a sustainable business around the highly sought-after innovation.

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Danielle Soneff stands in a parking lot with skyscrapers behind her, while Isla Tanaka stands in a snowy community park
podcast winter

Downtown park presents chance to get winter-city design right

Warehouse Park offers Edmonton an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of the past when it comes to designing for winter, says an industrial designer who is studying how to make it inviting year-round.

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A small, rectangular device with a robotic arm on top rests on a cement floor while people visit trade show booths in the background
technology business

Aro aims to make autonomous robots accessible to all

Faheem Khan thinks about that moment in the mid-20th century when mainframe computers were starting to help big corporations, but small businesses had little access. That's where we are now with AI-enabled robots, said the co-founder and CEO of Aro Robotic Systems.

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Portraits of Cindy Sim, Melanie Swerdan, Cressida Raffin, and Emily Craven
business technology

Revenue-focused accelerator names latest cohort

Eight Edmonton-area startups have been accepted into the latest cohort of The Alberta Innovates Revenue Accelerator (TAIRA) by GrowthX. One of them is Team CarePal, an app to support family and friends who are providing care for someone who is ill.

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