The Pulse: Sept. 3, 2021

Local businesses prepared for the return of the city-wide mask mandate by reminding patrons that rules will be enforced as of Sept. 3, but they also voiced concerns about customer reactions to the latest COVID-19 restrictions.

City council's 9-2 decision to reinstate the masking rules that were lifted July 1 applies to all indoor areas accessible by the public including retail stores, entertainment venues, restaurants, and recreation facilities.

Edmonton Independent Hospitality Community co-chair Kris Harvey said operators are seeing increasing pushback from guests who will now face a potential $100 fine. "It's super, super challenging and a lot of us in the hospitality industry are on board with saying yes, there are further measures that need to be in place so we are able to have safe environments, but we do need to make sure that we're not the ones holding all the responsibility to enforce it, police it and putting our staff and our businesses at risk," he told the Edmonton Journal.

The Old Strathcona Business Association asked visitors to the area to be patient with staff getting up to speed on changes, while West Edmonton Mall updated its webpage to caution that restrictions extend to washrooms and only allow "brief removal of mask or face covering when sipping a beverage or eating, engaging in water activities or physical exercise, and for children age two and under."

• The postponed game between the Edmonton Elks and the Toronto Argonauts has been rescheduled to November 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The schedule change means that the team will play a series of three games over seven days. Meanwhile, 11 of the 13 players that tested positive for COVID-19 remain under protocols.
• An Edmonton pediatrician facing child pornography charges is allowed to see patients again said the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta on Thursday. Dr. Ghassan Al-Naami was arrested in 2019. He must have an approved chaperone during all patient encounters, among other conditions.
• University students are struggling to find affordable housing in Edmonton due to low vacancy rates. The uncertainty over the return to in-person classes meant some landlords began renting to single families instead of students, reports CTV News.
• The City Centre Mall could be getting a facelift, Global News reports. Online renderings depict a modern glass building with sidewalk restaurants and cafés. The mall has seen several retailers pull out over the years, including anchor tenants Hudson's Bay and Holt Renfrew.
• Open Streets, a massive street party put on by Paths for People, will return to 104 Street downtown on Sept. 18. The event will be held during the last Al Fresco on 4th farmers market and will include bike parades, walking tours, design workshops, and street games.
• Calgary could follow Edmonton's lead and restore a mask bylaw. The council's emergency management committee is meeting today to discuss masks and proof of vaccination in city-owned buildings, as COVID-19 cases in Alberta continue to climb.
• The province's COVID-19 cabinet committee met on Thursday, but has yet to update the public, reports CTV News. On Wednesday, Premier Jason Kenney, who resurfaced in a Facebook Live after a 23-day hiatus, said officials would give a COVID-19 update this week.
• The NDP is calling on the province to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for anyone attending non-essential businesses and mass gatherings. Ontario, Manitoba, B.C. and Quebec have all introduced vaccine requirements for non-essential activities, but Premier Jason Kenney says he won't mandate proof of vaccination.

Quantum Kickflip, a roleplaying sci-fi series and member of the Alberta Podcast Network and Alberta Media Arts Alliance Society, came to a thrilling conclusion this week. Edmonton comedy group the Debutantes, self-titled the 'Weird Gravity crew' when playing, have been telling a serialized story through the locally made tabletop game Slugblaster since April.

Local creator Mikey Hamm built the game, which is about "teenagehood, giant bugs, circuit-bent rayguns, and trying to be cool." While the full-length version can only be pre-ordered for now, potential players can download Slugblaster Turbo as a teaser.

Outside the world of Slugblaster, the Debutantes have been writing and performing sketch comedy in the city since 2013. Notable performances include shows at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, Rapid Fire Theatre's Improvaganza comedy festival, and the Winnipeg and Edmonton Fringe Festivals. The group has also published comedy shorts online and organized Odd Wednesday, a biweekly sketch comedy showcase at the Sewing Machine Factory.

You can follow the Weird Gravity crew's first adventure from start to finish now, and if you're hungry for more, you're in time for their new story arc to begin on Sept. 15 via their website, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

You can listen to podcast picks from Taproot on Listen Notes or Spotify.