Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all enjoying the long weekend, even if the weather is a little gloomy. Once again, we have lots of pitches for you to look through and see if there’s anything that interests you.

Best,

Leah

News Pitches

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

A revelation in protein folding offers hope for potential ALS medicines

Research suggests repurposing an existing chemotherapy drug could slow or stop the deadly neurodegenerative disease.

Six things to know about primary progressive aphasia

Bruce Willis’ diagnosis puts a spotlight on a rare condition, but the facts are getting muddled.

A study in resilience

An ecologist and an endurance athlete are cycling across Canada to raise awareness of a UN conservation goal — and helping U of A researchers explore the effects of extreme exertion.

‘Build back trust,’ says Canada Research Chair in Applied Pediatric Immunization

Shannon MacDonald works with communities to figure out the best way to deliver information and vaccines.

Your child may be sadder than you think

U of A research lab unpacks early risk factors for childhood depression.

Opinion Pitches

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

Alberta to opt-out of federal dental care plan: Premier Smith announced that Alberta will be opting out of the federal dental plan. Smith wants the money that would otherwise go towards Alberta’s portion of the federal plan. Is this just another stick-it-to-Ottawa for Smith or is this in the best interest of Albertans? What does this mean for Albertans without dental insurance?

Youth employment: It’s harder for young people to find jobs in Canada. Even with a post-secondary degree, some graduates are experiencing long and fruitless job searches. What’s behind the struggle for youth to find jobs? How does this affect current students and graduates? What can be done to help?

Alberta budget surplus: While the provincial government’s surplus for 2023-24 year is smaller than projected, it’s still a $4.3 billion surplus. The government plans to use the surplus to pay off debt and invest in the Alberta Heritage Fund. Some people are unhappy with the planned use of the surplus as Albertans face a cost of living crisis. Is paying off debt a necessary use of this surplus? Or are there more important things to use the money for? If now isn’t the time to pay off the province's debt, when is?

Hope for carbon capture: An Albertan carbon capture project that would turn waste into energy recently got federal funding. With this project, instead of waste being sent to Edmonton’s landfill, it would be incinerated and used to create electricity. This seems like a win-win, but carbon capture projects haven’t had an easy time in Alberta. How can the success of this project be ensured? And if it is successful, what will it mean for renewable energy and management of waste across Alberta?

Alberta’s Heritage Fund: Premier Danielle Smith is now talking about using the Alberta Heritage Fund to prop up fossil fuel projects that can’t get financing. The government has been criticized for mismanaging the fund, but Smith seemed to want to get it back on track. Is this a responsible use for the fund? Or does it detract from the earlier sentiment of wanting to manage it more responsibly? How should the Heritage Fund be used?

Burlap Sack/Marble Pedestal — Rainy days: Summer has been off to a cool and rainy start for Edmonton. Some people love the rain and cooler weather. Others are less enthused about having to carry around their umbrella all the time. Write a column explaining why you love or hate the rainy weather.

A&C Pitches

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

Book Review: “Half-Light: Westbound on a Hot Planet” by Amy Kaler

“Braiding together personal, collective, and historical explorations of what it means to “go west,” Amy Kaler offers deep reflections on the meaning of life, middle age, and climate catastrophe.”
Kaler is a professor in the Sociology department at the University of Alberta. Read Kaler’s memoir and write a review! A PDF version will be available July 4, otherwise is available for purchase for $26.99.

Album Review: Good Boy by Geoffroy

“Almost 10 years removed from his first release, this project was sparked with the intention of creating Geoffroy’s most authentic work to date, blending organic instrumentation and electronic elements into a bright and rich album filled with diverse sounds, a collection of songs that moves beyond the brooding depth that has defined recent works.”

Review Montreal-based artist Geoffroy's fourth LP!

Sounds from the Valley: Music and Poetry

“Head down to Edmonton's Snow Valley Ski Club to take in a free concert with music and poetry. Listen to artists from EPL's Capital City Records and Capital City Press as they share their work at the bottom of the ski hill in the beautiful Rainbow Valley.”
This event takes place on July 2 from 7:00 p.m to 8:30pm at the Snow Valley Ski Club and is free to attend. There will be music performances and readings from authors, so write about one or more of these events! (This event takes place every Tuesday until August 27th, so choose which day you’d like to attend).

Column: Street Finder

While Edmonton has gained the unfortunate nickname Deadmonton (for more reasons than one) many areas of the city are decidedly not dead. Pick your favourite area of the city and write an article dedicated to detailing what charms you about this site. Chosen areas can be established or up and coming, but should feature locally-based, unique attractions. Suggestions include but aren’t limited to; 124th Street and Manchester Square.