Hello all,

I hope everyone is having a restful long weekend. We have a variety of pitches available this week. Take a look and see if there’s anything you want to pick up!

Best,

Brooklyn

News Pitches

You can reach Peris at [email protected] or over Slack!

Investors value companies with female executives

New research looks at corporate culture in the wake of Harvey Weinstein and #MeToo.

Tennis Pandas chase fifth straight national title

U of A varsity team would be only the third in the university’s history to accomplish that streak.

Newly discovered snake species provides insight into reptile social behaviour and development

Four unusually well-preserved snake specimens deepen our understanding of an entire category of snakes and the way they behave.

Sitting less, moving more helps stroke patients recover mobility

Spending more time walking each day may lead to improvements in both functional mobility and gait speed after stroke, research shows.

Research takes on the long-term health of childhood cancer survivors 

Nursing student researchers propose exercise programs to help prevent premature post-treatment heart failure.

Opinion Pitches

You can pick up a pitch or pitch your own idea to Leah at [email protected] or over Slack!

Food bank use continues to rise: The Edmonton Food Bank recently said it’s seen an “unprecedented” number of new clients in the first half of 2024. Due to the increase in demand, some of the hampers have gotten smaller so the Food Bank can help more people. The Campus Food Bank has also said it’s seen an increase in demand. What can be done to help support people before they have to access a food bank? And how can the city or the university support food banks so it can meet the needs of its clients?

Former Royal Alberta Museum to be torn down: It was recently announced that the old Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton would be torn down to make room for a green space. Some people aren’t thrilled about the landmark being torn down. Is this the right move by the province or are there other ways to repurpose the building? How can we balance preserving historic landmarks while also evolving with a community's needs and wants?

Gender equal Olympics: The Paris 2024 Olympics is the first Olympic Games where there’s an equal number of women and men competing. While it’s been praised for gender equality, treatment of women in the Paris Olympics hasn’t been so great. Whether it’s commentators making sexist comments or a woman of color facing questions about her gender, it isn’t equal treatment for all. How can the Olympics and other major competitions or sports leagues meaningfully improve the treatment of women in sports? How does that come into play at home in Canada, where there’s limited opportunities for women to play professional sports?

Province won’t correct Prolife Alberta’s claims: Prolife Alberta has recently said that late-term abortions or even “after-birth abortions” are happening in Alberta. But Alberta Health Services and the provincial government would not correct the information when asked about it. What are the consequences of allowing misinformation like this to go undisputed? What responsibility does the province have to correct such, if any at all?

Loblaws class-action lawsuit: Loblaws settled a class-action lawsuit over the bread price-fixing scandal. The company will have to pay $500 million. As Loblaws and other grocery retailers face scrutiny over high prices, does this signal potential for more accountability for grocers? Could more class-actions actually help guarantee fair pricing for consumers? Or is this more of a slap-on-the-wrist?

Point/Counterpoint — Buying textbooks early or late: It’s that time of year again when course syllabuses are being released. But is it better to start buying the required textbooks early or to wait until the last minute to actually buy them? Pick up one side of the argument and share your thoughts!

A&C Pitches

You can reach Brooklyn at [email protected] or over Slack!

Movie Review: “The Death Tour” directed by Stephan Peterson and Sonya Ballantyne

“Each winter, when the lakes freeze over, a motley gang of professional wrestlers leaves Winnipeg on a one-of-a-kind wrestling trip through remote Indigenous communities of Northern Manitoba. This deeply personal documentary travels through Canada’s frozen North and into the wrestlers’ minds as they battle the elements, each other, and the impacts of our colonial past.”

“The Death Tour” will be screening at Metro Cinema on August 6 & 7, with the filmmaker and wrestlers in attendance for a Q&A and Meet & Greet on the August 6 showing! Watch the movie and write a review, or speak with the filmmaker! Student ticket prices are $8.

Book Review: Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong

“Daphne McFadden already knows that as a female author, the cards are stacked against her. Her sudden whim to pose as an “outdoorsy hunk of masculinity” male author for her new book just resulted in the unthinkable: a bidding war, a huge book deal, and the kind of fame every author dreams of. Now she’s in big trouble. Because she needs to convince the world that Zane Remington actually exists . . . but how? By hiring an actor, of course. Only Chris Stanton is not an actor—not officially. But when the media descend on Daphne’s gorgeous remote home in the Yukon, it’s not enough for Chris to just be the face of Zane Remington—he’ll have to become him.”

Kelley Armstrong is an Ontario-based author. Read this romantic comedy and write a review!

Festival Review: Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival

This year is the 43rd anniversary of the Fringe Festival and is set to showcase hundreds of productions, with more than 1600 talented performers. The Fringe Festival is a fun way to witness Edmonton’s theatre-scene, with its multitude of different performances.

Tickets to the festival go on sale August 7, and the festival runs from August 15 – 25. Pick however many performances you want to attend and write a review on them! Tickets range from $9-$20, with some outdoor performances being free of cost.

Album Review: ‘No Lies, No Tricks’ by Sparrow Blue

“Sparrow Blue's 2nd album "No Lies, No Tricks" is the most honest and raw representation of the bands "Real Thick Rock & Roll" sound to date. Recorded & produced by the band in their home studio ‘The Blue Room.’”

Review ‘No Lies, No Tricks’ from St. Albert based Rock band, Sparrow Blue.

Show Review: “Keeping it Local” Fibre Art Show

“Focus on Fibre Art Association (FFAA) is pleased to host the “Keeping it Local” Fibre Art Show. This juried show features 76 entries providing a wide range of art pieces from fibre artists across Alberta. Each piece expresses the artist’s interpretation of the show’s theme “Keeping it Local”. The show is sure to WOW patrons through a diverse range of fibre mediums and techniques including 3D sculptures, quilting, felted works and more.”

“Keeping it Local” runs from August 2-28 for free at the Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts (10554 110 Street). Visit the show and share your thoughts!